US2497979A

US2497979A - Construction of suit and like cases

Info

Publication number: US2497979A
Application number: US676807A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cole Albert Bertram; Cole Sydney Harry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-07-10
Filing date: 1946-06-14
Publication date: 1950-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1967-02-21

Description

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A. B. COLE TAL I CONSTRUCTION OF SUIT AND LIKE CASES Feb. 2l, 1950 Filed June 14, 1946 b llfll Feb. 2l, 1950 A. B. coLE ETAL CONSTRUCTION oF sur'r AND LIKE cAsEs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1946 Attorney l Patented Feb. 21 1950 CONSTRUCTION* SUIT AND LIKE CASES Albert Bertram Cole and sydney Harry Cole, Holborn, London, England Application June'14, 1946, Serial No.` 676,807;

' In Great Britain t111151,10, 1945 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to the construction of suit and like cases, and it has for its object the provision of a case of light weight primarily designed for use when travelling by aircraft.

According to this invention the elements comprising the main body and cover of the case are formed of thin sheet metal, plywood, bre, plastics or like material the adjacent edges of such elements being secured to each other and reinforced by means of channelled elements.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of this invention:

Figure l is a perspective view of a suit case constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the suit case, excluding the cover, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure l viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a section lon the line IV-IV of Figure 1 viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view (on a reduced scale) of a modication, and,

Figure 6 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating the application of the invention to a different type of case.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the element comprising the body of a case constructed according to this invention, is built on to the reinforcing elements which may be of metal or other suitable material, each of which comprises in the embodiment illustrated a strip of metal l bent to form a right angle, a longitudinally disposed pocket or channel 2 being formed at the bend, the bent strip I being thereafter curved or bent transversely of its length at the desired positions to form the corners of the body or cover of the case. If desired one or both of the longitudinal edges of the strip may be turned over to form a beaded edge.

In building up the body of the case, the end edges of the bottom 3 and side Walls 4, the bottom and side walls being preferably formed in one piece as shown in Figure 2, are pressed into the longitudinally disposed pockets or channels 2 formed in the bent metal strips I, as shown in Figure 3, the material of which the body is formed is then secured by suitably disposed rivets 5 to the inner face of the metal stripsl I. The elements comprising end Walls 6 of the case are then placed in the recess formed by the channelling of the strip so that they bear against the outer face of the metal strips I and are secured in position by rivets 1. The cover 8 of the case is built up and formed in a similar manner, the body vand cover being. connected. by suitable hinges 9 and by limiting straps. Il).

The nboda7 portonis preferably provided with the usual upstanding fillet, I-,I around the top inner edge over which the cover 8 is adapted to lit and thereby close the joint between the two parts.

While the metal strips are described and illustrated as being secured to the body or cover by rivets 5', it will be understood that any other convenient securing means such as stitching may be used.

According to a modified form of the invention as illustrated in Figure 5 the body and/or cover may be further reinforced longitudinally by the provision of reinforcing straps I2 of a light metal riveted or otherwise secured at their free ends to the two end channelled reinforcing strips I and to the free edges of the case and, also, if desired by additional strips I3 and I 4 at the corners where the bottom and/or top surfaces meet the side and/or end walls.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 6, the top edge of the side wall I5 of the cover is pressed into the channel 2 and the top It of said cover is secured in the recess formed by the channelling of the strip I'. The bottom edge of side wall I1 of the body is pressed into the channel 2 while the bottom I8 may be secured in the recess as above described or it may be secured to the inside of the strip as shown. The cover is arranged to fit over a llet I9 secured to the body in the known manner.

Where the elements comprising the main body and cover portions are formed of certain materials such as plywood, the outer surfaces may, if desired, be covered with thin hide or other suitable material.

It will be understood that the channelled elements may if desired be formed of plastics or other suitable material.

While, as above stated, the object of the invention is the production of a light weight travelling case, it will be appreciated that said invention may also be applied to large cases, such as trunks, and also to packing boxes of plywood, card or other desired material.

What we claim is:

A suitcase construction comprising a body section and a cover section hinged thereto, each section including an integral U-shaped member of thin, sheet material forming a bottom and two opposite side walls; a pair of panels to form end walls; a pair of assembly elements for uniting said U-shaped member and panels into a unitary structure, one of said assembly elements being disposed at each end of said body section, each assembly element comprising a single ply continuous strip of material U-shaped in end elevation, said element having two legs arranged substantially at right angles to one another in cross section, one of the legs being offset laterally from the connecting edge of the other leg and spaced therefrom by a bend forming a channel on one face of said continuous strip and a recess on the other face thereof: the opposite ends of said U-shaped body section being tted into the channel of the respective assembly elements and secured thereto by fastening means; one of said panels being tted into the recess formed by the offset leg and bend of each respective assembly element, and secured thereto by fastenmg means; straps extending across the body section and connecting the adjacent legs of the respective assembly elements, and straps extending across each assembly element and connectlng the oiset legs thereof.

ALBERT BERTRAM COLE. SYDNEY HARRY COLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: