US2515605A - Brief case - Google Patents

Description

S. H. LIFTON July 18, 1950 BRIEF CASE Filed Nov. 18, 1946 ATTORNEY Patented July 18 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRIEF CASE Samuelv H. Lifton, New York, N. Y.

Application November 18, 1946; Serial No. 710,715 2 Claims. (01. rec-re) The present invention relates to. a. brief. case andit particularly relates to improvements in. a brief case of the: type shown in my Patent 2,039,913, dated May 5, 1936, having front and rear leather walls appropriately interconnected by a: flexible gusset. characterized by a pluralit3 of longitudinally. disposed spaced partitions to define several compartments.

It: is. among the-primary objects of the present invention to provide a brief case of the character described having greatly enhanced flexibility in all' directions without sacrifice of strength, and without sharpedges and with a more pleasing rounded attractive appearance.

Another objectis to provide an improved, dur' able, reinforced brief case of the character described: free of readily frangible reinforcements, which will readily permit of expansion to receive voluminous papers yet readily return to its normal empty flat shape without permanent deformation.

A further object is to provide an inexpensive, yet rugged brief case of the character described which is practical and inexpensive in construetion, and which may be economically manufactured.

Still further objectsand advantageswill appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found desirable to include a plurality of resilient U-shaped nested continuous round wire elements in the front and rear walls of the brief case along the bottom-and side margins thereof as reinforcements. The ends of said wire elements are protected so as not to project through the walls of the case and the sides thereof are desirably covered by leather or other protective strips which may be. stitched and adhesively connected to the main sections. of. the case.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed and as to its other objects, features and advantages, the mode of operation and. manner of its organization, these, inter alia, may be better understood by referring to the following description considered in connection with the 2i accompanying drawings formingv a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1. is a perspective View of a brief case according. tot my invention.

Fig. 2 is a. transverse sectional view taken on the line. 2-2 of Fig. 1 upon an enlarged scale as compared to Fig. 1.

Fig.3 isan exploded or disassembled view, illustrat'ing the nested U-shaped reinforcing wires and the cover strips therefor to be mounted against the inner face of a front or rear wall of the case- Fig. 4 is an inside elevational view of the front wall withthe reinforcements in position.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4 upon a somewhat enlarged scale and broken away better to show the construction.

Fig; 6 is an inside elevational view of the: rear wall with the reinforcements in position.

Fig. 7' illustrates in top view an enlarged fragmentary portion of the end of the reinforcing frame shown in Fig. 3 illustrating the welded or soldered connection.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, inside elevational view of one of the corners of the case upon an enlarged scale with on of the cover strips partly liftedaway;

Fig. 9' is a fragmentary inside elevational view of the upper ends of the nested U-shaped wire reinforcements at one side of the briefcase with the cover strips partly lifted away, and Fig; 10 is a. fragmentary vertical cross sec tionalview upon the line llllfl of Fig. 4 and upon an enlarged scale as compared. to Fig. 4 showing how the ends of the legs of the reinforcements are protected.

The brief case as shown in Figs- 1. to 9 has a main front wall A, a main rear wall B, a cover flap C constituting an extension of the rear wall B,.the. reinforcement constructions D, connecting flexible bellows or gusscts E and spaced partitions FL. The elements A, B, C, E and F may be of leather, plastics, or other sheet materials of natural or synthetic origin having. the necessary flexibility and appearance.

Appropriately secured to flap C and front wall A: are. the disconnectable' complementary locking members 15 and It for holding flap C in closed position and attached to an intermediately reinforced portion ll of the rear wall B is a swingable handle l8.

Spaced straps I9 and 2a] are slidably connected to the front, rear and top wall of the case and 3 serve as complementary sustaining means for holding the flap C against the front wall A although complementary members l5 and I6 may be in an interlocked relation.

The front and rear walls A and B are each suitably reinforced by a strengthening frame, generally denoted D and each frame consists of nested substantially U-shaped rounded wire members as illustrated.

Each frame D comprises spaced sides 2| interconnected by an integral bottom element 22.

The frames D as shown consist of three nested U-shaped flexible and resilient wire elements 26, 21 and 28 (see Fig. '7) of circular cross section closely nested yet slightly spaced apart particularly adjacent the corners (see Figs. 3 and 5). The upper ends of the legs 2| are welded, soldered or brazed together as indicated at 2|] in Fig. 7 slightly below the ends 24 thereof. The spacing between the U-shaped elements 26, 21 and 28 is indicated at 25 in Fig. 7.

So that the U-shaped elements 26, 2'! and 28 will lie flat each successive element has a slightly greater width between the legs 2|, a slightly greater depth from the ends 24 of the legs 2| to the bottom sections 22. .The greater width and depth is just slightly greater in each instance than the diameter of wire elements 25, 21 and 28 making up the reinforcements D which will give the spacing 25.

It is apparent that a greater or lesser number of U-shaped elements 26, 21 and 28 than three may be used to form the reinforcements D and that other cross sectional shapes than round may be employed such as square, hexagon, elliptical and so forth.

The legs 2| and the bottom sections 22 of the reinforcements D are covered by the rectangular leather strips 29 and 30 as shown in Figs. 3, 8 and 9. These strips 29 and 30 are adhesively secured as indicated at 3| and 32 in Fig. 8 and at 33 and 34 in Fig. 9 and are also stitched into position as indicated at 35 and 36. The stitchings 35 and 36 extend through the strips 29 and-the walls A and B, while the stitching 36 also extends through the gusset construction E.

It will be noted in Fig. 8 that the side cover strips 29 terminate at 31 short of the corners 23 of the reinforcements D, while the ends 38 of the strips 39 continue to the side edges of the walls A and B and cover the corners 23.

In respect to the ends 24 of the legs 2| of the elements 26, 21 and 28 (see Figs. 9 and these are inserted between the flaps 39 and 46 of the bifurcated end protector 4| which is both adhesively connected and stitched at 42 to the front wall A, as well as the rear wall B. The ends of the strips 29 as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 will extend beyond and completely cover and conceal the end protectors 4|.

In assembly the nested wire reinforcements D are laid in position on the inside faces of the walls A and B after adhesive 32 and 34 has been applied to the marginal inside faces of said walls. Then the end reinforcements 4| are first applied, followed by the side strips 29 and the bottom strips 30. The stitching 35 is then first applied followed by the stitching 36 and the case is assembled thereafter in the conventional manner.

If desired another but shorter U-shaped nested reinforcement may be applied at 44 in the flap C to reinforce and strengthen said flap.

The final construction will have flexibility in all directions and return readily to flat shape after accidental or deliberate deformation. There will be no sharp edges, readily rupturable rivet connections or projecting metal corners or ends. The nestedconstruction D will assure normal flat position of the walls A and B and the gaps 25, while permitting sufi'icient free play, will enable the reinforcements D to readily snap back into desired positions. The assembly and manufacture will be simple and inexpensive.

To enhance the appearance of the front and rear walls A and B, these walls may be embossed as indicated at 46 and 41 in Fig. 1 to form recesses in which the reinforcements D may be positioned.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from'the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, for example, although the reinforcing members have been set forth particularly in connection with a brief case, it is to be understood that such members may be applied to any type of envelope, or article holding means.

What is claimed is:

1. A carrying case having flat flexible front and rear walls and a reinforcing construction therefor, comprising a plurality of closely nested resilient U-shaped wire elements positioned closely adjacent to the interior margins of said walls, said wire elements being slightly spaced apart except at the ends of the legs thereof and being integrally connected at the ends of the legs.

2. A brief case comprising; an outer flexible wall, strengthening means disposed on the inner face of said wall along and within the lower and side margins thereof and embodying a plurality of closely nested U-shaped resilient and flexible round wire elements arranged within said margins, the elements having superimposed horizontal members integral with spaced vertically arranged legs, said horizontal members being slightly spaced apart, said legs being also slightly spaced apart and secured together only at their free ends, and strips covering said elements and secured to said margins.

SAMUEL H. LIF'ION.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Valentine July 14, 1942

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