US2514368A - Carrying case - Google Patents

Description

July l1, 1950 A. J. BRADFORD CARRYING CASE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 Patented July 11, 1950 l CARRYING CASE .poration of Illinois ApplicationAugust 9, 1946, Serial No. 689,364

4. Claims.

j This invention relates tocarrying cases in general and more particularly to carryingy cases which may be utilized for carrying articles such as projection machinesY and the like. I The principal -objectofl this invention 1s to "provide an improved carrying case which is rigid and strong in construction, which isV light in weight, which is convenient to handle and which is readily and inexpensively assembled.

In accordance with this invention the carrying case is formed from a pair of end pieces, a housing piece, and a bottom piece. The end .pieces may be provided around theirtop and sides with marginal grooves andend flanges cn the housing piece may fit into l the` marginal grooves to lit the pieces together. double flanges may be provided on the housing piece to add strengththereto and the bottom flanges may enter opposed recesses in the end 4pieces to lock the pieces together. The bottom piece may be secured against the end pieces and the housing piece by claspssecured to `the bottom piece and the end' pieces and the carrying case may be carried by a'handle on the top of the housing piece. The artiolesto be carriedmay be secured, if desired, to the bottom piece.

Further objects of this invention-reside in the details ofconstruction of the component parts of the carrying case and the cooperativeorelation between the component parts.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims, and

drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a top planvvievv of the carrying case;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View thereof;

Fig. 4 is a partial enlargedsectional view vtaken r substantially along ltheline 4 4 of Fig. 2;

:FigV 5 is an enlarged-partial perspective View showing the cooperation between one side of the housing piece and an end piece;

1 Figs. .6 and 7 are enlargedpartial perspective views showing the cooperation betweenthe other 4 side of the housing pieceand an end piece.

may belprovided withsuitablelegs orsupports lThe top and side .edges` ofthe end pieces I!) and II- are `provided Withmarginalgrooves I6 for receiving flanges I'I formed on the housing piecer I2. Thus therhousing piece I2, forming the top and sides ofxthe. carrying case, fits the end pieces Il] through the flange and groove con- BottomV nection whereby longitudinal movement ofthe I end-pieces I6 and II with respect to the housing piece I 2 is; prevented.

--Each of the end pieces I0 and II is provided lwith-opposed recesses i6 and 26 atthe bottom thereof. A continuous double flange-is provided at the bottom ofone side of the housingpiece Y I2l and this double flange includes a horizontal portion 2i and al vertical portion 2;v The horiA zontal' portion 2l of the double ange engages the bottom of the end pieces I6 and-I I 4andthe vertical portion 22 engages Within the recesses Il@ of the end pieces Il! and II. YThe horizontal portion 2l of the double flange in engagingA the `bottom of the end pieces II) and IIy prevents the housing member from being lifted 'upwardlyJ with respect to the end pieces IE? Yand II and-the vertical portion 22 engaging within the recesses I9 prevents the lowerportion of the 'housing piece I2 `from movingl outwardly with respect to the end pieces I6.

The other side of the housing lpiece I2 pro vided with a double flange contained between'the This doubleciiange inn cludes a horizontal portion 23 and a Vertical portion 24. This same side of the housing piece I2 is provided with apair of ears 25 at the end pieces Il] and I I and these ears are,'in the process oi assembly, bent around the bottom of' the-end pieces I0 and II ancl'intoy the recesses 20, as

shown in Figs. 6-and 7 so that the ears 25, after bending inthe assemblmforln continuations of the double bottom ange.

In assembling the housing piece i2 and the end pieces I6 and II, the verticalv` portions 22 of the double flange along one side of the housing piece I2, are inserted in the recesses I9 and the anges I6 are inserted in the grooves II.` -The double flange onthe other -side of the housing piece I2 then lines up with the bottoms of-the end pieces IIJ and II with-the ears 25 depending,

as shown in Fig. 6. The ears 25 are then bent up l into the recesses 26, as shown in Fig. 7, and as a result therhousing piece `I2 Ais securely locked to the end ypieces IIland I I. VThe double flanges oneither side of the housing piece I2, -infaddiM -tion to assisting -in-locking the piecesv together,

also adds strength and rigidity tothe Ihousing Y piece' I2.

The v`bottom piece i3 may be securedv against -f the end .pieces I6 vand II `and the housing-piece i I2 by suitable clasps 27, one portion of which is secured tothe bottom. piece I3 and -theether Y portion to the end pieces -i Iland I|.- AsshOfWn,

the bottom piece 3 may have a substantially nat marginal portionfend'parts of which are 'abutted by the lower edges of the end walls, which are shownl as straight, and side parts of which j are abutted by -theiirst or horizontaliiange --parts 23.= It will besseenthatinfeflecteachfside of the housing piece I2 terminates in a U-shaped structure, an arm of which, formed by the outer reach of the housing piece I2, contacts an outer side edge of each of the two end walls, a web of which contacts limited portions of the lower straight edges of the end walls adjacent such side edge, while a second arm, formed by the second or vertical ange portion 24 or the ear part 25 thereof, enters the recesses in the two end walls and contacts the surfaces thereof that are toward but spaced inward from the side edges that the iirst arm contacts.

A handle 29 is carried by brackets 30 which, in turn, are suitably secured to the housing piece i2 by means such as rivets.

With the clasps 2l securing the end pieces I0 and Il to the bottom piece |31, the carrying case may be carried by the handle 29. In order to gain access to the interior of the carrying case, the clasps 21 may be unclasped and the housing portion l2 and end pieces I0 and H lifted from the bottom piece I3. If desired, the articles to be carried within the carrying case, such as a projecting machine, may be secured to the bottom piece.

By reason of the above construction there is provided an improved carrying case which is rigid and strong in construction and yet light in weight, which is convenient to handle and manipulate, and which is readily and inexpensively assembled.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a particular style of carrying case, it may be readily utilized in other types of cases such as suitcases, wardrobe cases, trunks, etc., wherein both halves of such cases may be formed of pieces similar to the end pieces I and H and the housing piece l2, with both halves being suitably secured together by hinges, clasps, and the like.

While for purposes of illustration one form of this invention has been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure, and,`

therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and prior art.

I claim as my invention; l. In a carrying case, the combination of a pair of opposed end pieces, each provided around its top and sides with a marginal groove and eachv i provided with facing recesses at the bottom, and a housing piece for-ming'the top and sides and provided with end flanges fitting in the marginal groove and provided on one side with a continuous double bottom flange engaging the bottoms of the end pieces and entering opposed recesses and provided on the other side with a double bottom iiange between the end pieces and with ears adjacent the end pieces engaging the bottoms of the end pieces and, entering the recesses and forming continuations of the bottom ilange.

2. In a carrying case element that has an open side, and that comprises a pair of end walls each having a groove extending around its edge on three sides, and a generally U-shaped housing piece extending between said end walls, and about said three sides and having at its end inturned iianges engaged in said grooves; a flange structure extending along each edge of said housing piece between the end walls and comprising a first portion extended generally inward and contacting a portion of the fourth sides of said end walls and a second portion extending from the inner margin of said rst portion in angular relation thereto and away from said fourth edge of each end wall and said rst iiange portion; each said end wall having acljacent but spaced inward from each of its side edges a recess into which said second portion is extended in contact with a lateral surface at the side of the recess toward the adjacent side edge of said end wall.

3. In a carrying case, a cover structure for attachment to and release from a closure piece that has a flat marginal portion, said cover structure comprising a pair of spaced end walls each having a straight edge for abutment with end parts of such marginal portion, and three other edges including opposite side edges and an intervening edge and about which three edges a groove extends, and a housing member having side and intervening reaches and provided at opposite ends with a iiange engaged in said groove; an improved edge and interlocking arrangement of said housing member and end Walls, comprising a fiat first iiange portion extended inward frorn each margin of said housing member for face to face contact with a side part of the marginal iiat portion of the closure piece, a second flange portion extending angularly from the inner margin of each said iirst ange portion, each said end wall .being provided adjacent each end of its said straight edge with a recess extending from said straight edge and spaced from the adjacent side edge by structure having a surface that is in contact with the part of said second iiange portion that is extended into said recess.

4. In a carrying case, a cover structure for attachment to and release from a closure piece having a iiat marginal portion, said cover structure comprising a pair of spaced end walls each having a straight edge for abutment with end parts of such marginal portion, and three other edges including opposite side edges and an intervening edge and about which three edges extends a groove, and a housing member having side and intervening reaches and provided at opposite ends with flanges engaged in said grooves; an improved edge and interlocking arrangement of said housing member and end walls, comprising a generally U-shaped structure at each lateral `margin of said housing piece, such structure comprising an arm contacting a side edge of each end wall, a web contacting a part of said straight edge of each end wall, and a second arm having each of its ends entered into a recess that has a surface spaced inward from the side edge of the end wall that is contacted by said first arm and that extends from said straight edge, said second arm contacting said surface.

ARTHUR J. BRADFORD.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 164,043 Rehfuss June 1, 1875 512,091 Bennett Jan. 2, 1894 972,449 Heller Oct. 11, 1910 1,074,344 Bekkering Sept. 30, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 471,725 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1937

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