US2522612A - Protective covering - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1950 EN 2,522,612

PROTECTIVE COVERING Filed June 4, 1947 5 E!- ,Nmvm

WILLIAM C. HARBEN \LQ A A TTOAIVEY Patented Sept. 19, 1950 PROTECTIVE COVERING William C. Harben, Lake Worth, Fla., assignor to Vacuum Grip Cover Company, Inc., Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Bridgeport,

Application June 4, 1947, Serial No. 752,349

1 Claim.

This invention relates to protective coverings and has particular reference to coverings employed to protect highly finished surfaces from scratching or scufllng.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a covering formed of flexible and resilient material of such nature as to conform generally to various irregular surfaces to be protected, such as vehicle fenders, vehicle seats or to other articles having a highly finished surface to be protected against marring or soiling.

A further and very important object of the invention resides in the detail construction of the covering, whereby it is frictionally held against slipping on a polished surface, will not wrinkle or roll with body motion, is readily and easily cleaned and may be used with or without a non-absorbent covering.

A particularly outstanding object of the invention is the construction of the protective covering having its surfaces calendered and provided with a multiplicity of minute shallow air pockets which, when slight pressure is placed thereon, causes the cover to adhere to a polished surface against slipping or crawling.

Other objects of the invention will readily present themselves during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a protective cover, constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a slightly modified form of the invention,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cover with a part thereof removed,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on line 44 of Figure 3 and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of one of the identical sides of the cover.

Like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several figures of the draw- Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a protective cover as a whole, embodying a rectangular sheet of flexible and resilient material 6, having upper and lower calendered surfaces 1 and B. The calendered surfaces I and 8 are provided with a multiplicity of relatively small and closely arranged shallow air pockets 9 and I0 over its entire area and closely arranged. The body 6 is formed of a non-absorbent sponge rubber or the like and, when pressure is placed thereon, causes the suction cups to grip or adhere to the surface to be protected. Grommets l l are provided adjacent each corner of the sheet 6, for a purpose to be described.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral [2 designates a sheet of relatively thin, non-elastic, nonporous plastic film, that is co-extensive with the cover 6 and provided with grommets i3 adjacent each corner to lie in registry with the grommet I I. Tie cords or tapes passing through the grommets, as at it, serve to secure the sheets 6 and I2 together and in alignment. While four grommets are illustrated for both the sheet I2 and cover 6, it is obvious that additional ones may be employed if found desirable. The purpose of the sheet I2 is to provide a protective non-porous, but flexible covering for the cover 6, especially, when the cover is employed in automotive work, to maintain the cover free from grease, etc. The sheet I2 may be transferred to the opposite side of the cover 6 when a clean surface is required. It is apparent that the cover may be utilized without the sheet I2, in which case the operator merely unties the tapes I and removes the sheet, working at such times directly on one of the calendered surfaces. As the surfaces 1 and 8 become soiled, they may be readily and easily cleaned.

It may be found desirable in certain cases to provide the cover 6 with a permanent protective sheet and, to this end, a sheet l2a, see Figure 2,, is secured to the cover 6 in any convenient manner, as by stitching i5 around its marginal edges. It may be found desirable also, to cement the sheet l2a upon the cover 6 in lieu of the stitching.

In use, the cover is spread upon or over the object to be protected, such as a vehicle fender. A slight pressure or smoothing action causes the suction cups to grip the smooth finished surface. This gripping prevents the cover from creeping or sliding on the fender from body motion of the operator and the resilient body of the cover will absorb the blows of tools or other equipment laid thereon. When the cover is used without the sheet l2, it will be found that tools laid thereon will not slide and become misplaced as is so common with covers heretofore employed. The cover, While being flexible and resilient, will not roll or wrinkle in use to conceal small parts or tools. If desirable, any suitable indicating mark may be printed or stencilled on one side of the cover to indicate to the operator the side upon which he has been working, thus keeping the clean side always toward the finished surface. The sheets I2 or l2a are not affected by gasoline, oil, grease,

battery acids or brake fluids and, when soiled,

3 may be readily cleaned by a light sponging with gasoline or mineral spirits. The cover while primariiy designed as a protective cover for auto fenders, has many and varied uses. As a protective covering to be used by a mechanic in driving a vehicle, it will be found that the cover will lie snugly upon the upholstery and maintain its position against slipping or sliding, regardless of the movements of the driver. The identifying mark upon one side of the cover will be particularly valuable to the driver in determining which side of the cover to place against the upholstery.

It will be seen from the foregoing that an extremely simple and highly desirable cover has been provided. The cover is economical in use, resulting in a considerable saving in laundrv costs, is cheap to manufacture, has a remarkable toughness against wear and is eflicient to a high degree.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise'iorm shown, but that it includes within its purview, whatever changes fair- 1y come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

A flexible protective covering adapted to conform generally to irregular surfaces such as ve- 4 hicle fenders and same against marring or soiling which comprises. a thin flexible sheet of sponge rubber having opposite faces provided with a multiplicity of small suction cups closely arranged and extending over the full area of the faces, and a thin flexible sheet of non-porous plastic material covering one face of said sponge rubber sheet and coextensive therewith, the remaining face of said sponge rubber sheet being exposed, said sheets being secured together only at their marginal edges.

WILLIAM C. HARBEN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,493,815 Hogan May 13, 1924 1,499,166. Frazier June 24, 1924 1,551,452 Arias Aug. 25, 1925 1,999,127 Kastner Apr. 23, 1934 2,032,114 Clements et al Feb. 25, 1936 2,071,647 Miller Feb. 23, 1937 2,189,813 McQuire Feb. 13, 1940 2,262,010 Kuehne Nov. 11, 1941 2,284,494 Oakley May 28, 1942 vehicle seats toprotectthe.

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