US2531737A

US2531737A - Container having spring biased sliding closure

Info

Publication number: US2531737A
Application number: US760310A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Joe M Lyon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-07-11
Filing date: 1947-07-11
Publication date: 1950-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1967-11-28

Description

NW. 2%, WW J. M. LYON, JR 2,531,737

CONTAINER HAVING SPRING BIASED SLIDING CLOSURE Filed July 11. 1947 yea 2/ 1 miliiilifiliiliumd,

Attorney Patented Nov. 28, 1950 CONTAINER. HAVING SPRING BIASED SLIDING CLOSURE Joe M. Lyon, Jr., Los Angeles, Galifl, assignor by mesne assignments, to William Wilson, in-

glewood, Calif.

Application July 11, 1947,"Serial No.'760,310

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers, and has as its primary object the provision of a new and improved container having a spring-biased, sliding lid which snaps to open position when pressed with sufficient force to overcome a releasable catch, and which is closed by pressing the lid back to its closed position, against the pressure of the spring action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container which is particularly adapted for use as a cigarette case, and in that capacity serves to preserve the cigarettes from being crushed or broken, or contaminated by dirt, lint, or cosmetics in a pocket or handbag.

A further object of the invention in connection with its use as a cigarette case, is to provide a refillable container which is adapted to receive the standard cigarette pack, and which provides a convenient means for dispensing the cigarettes singly or a few at a time by a one-handed operation, instead of requiring the use of both hands, as has been necessary heretofore.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a container of the type described which is attractive in appearance, compact and durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure Us a perspective view of a cigarette case embodying the principles of the invention, showing the lid in closed position;

Figure 2 is another View of the same, with the lid shown in open position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a similar view, showing the lid in open position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail, taken along the line 5-6 in Figure 2.

In the drawings, the container of the inven-r tion is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral it and comprises a generally rectangular case ll, open at the top end and having side walls is, 54, end walls i5, I6, and a bottom wall 17. The case Ii! may be made of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, wood, or the like,

is proportioned to receive a pack 58 of cigarettes, which is inserted into the case through the opening in the top end thereof, after tearing away ways 2c is preferably, although not necessarily,

formed as "a raised "flange extending upwardly from the top edge of its respective side wall and forming a continuation of the inside surface thereof. The top of the flange 'is rounded, and

its outer side is set back from the outside surface of the wall, so that the thickness of the flange is approximately one-half that of the wall. A groove 22 is cut into the outer side of the flange at the base thereof, leaving a web 23. At their front ends, the ways are strengthened and reinforced by inwardly extending buttresses 26 which are formed as extensions of the end wall H5. The rear end portions of the ways 20 are cut away fora short distance back from the walls is, forming a rearwardly facing shoulder at 24., and leaving a portion of the web 23 standing as a ridge 25 which extends back to the rear wall It and along the edge of the latter.

The sliding lid 2! is a flat, rectangular plate having a pair of laterally spaced grooves formed in the underside thereof, which receive the ways 21 Each of the grooves an is enlarged in its upper portion to form a generally cylindrical chamber 3!, which receives a compression spring 32. The springs 32are disposed within the spaces formed by cutting out sections of the ways 25, and each of them bears at one end against the shoulder 24 and at the other end against the end 33 of the chamber 3|. The springs 32 are compressed when the lid 2| is in the closed position shown in Figures 1 and 3, and press against the lid, urging the same toward the open position shown in Figures 2 and l. At the front end of the lid 21, the grooves so are formed with enlarged recesses 29 which receive the buttresses 26 when the lid is in its closed position.

The center portion of the underside of the lid 2! lying between the grooves 30 is elevated to clear the lip 23, and the outer edges of the lid extend downwardly on the outsides of the ways 28 to meet the top edges of the walls It, M with inwardly turned flanges 34 which extend into the groove 22 to secure the lid '21 to the case H. A transversely extending lip 35 projects downwardly from the back end of the lid 2! to the top edge of the end wall it, and this lip is engage able with the lip '26 on the case to limit move- 3 ment of the lid toward the left or closed position.

The lid'Zl is releasably held in its closed position by means of a catch which is formed as a narrow, transversely extending lug 40 projecting downwardly from the underside of the lid at the front end thereof, midway between the grooves 30. The lug 40 is engageable with a lip ll on the top edge of the front end wall I5 between the buttresses 26, and is adapted to ride up over the said lip and drop into the holding position shown in Figure 3, when the lid is pushed all the way to closed position. A shallow, semi-circular finger recess 42 is formed in the upper portion of the front end Wall I5, and this recess leaves the end of the lid 2! projecting or overhanging slightly so that it can be engaged by the finger, as shown in Figure 3, and pushed rearwardly a sufficient distance to force the catch over the lip 4| and thereby release the lid 2! so that the springs 52 are permitted to snap the lid back to open position. 1

The rearward travel of the lid 21 is limited by a limit stop 55 which is spaced longitudinally from the catch 40 and projects downwardly from the underside of the lid. The limit stop 45 is likewise formed as a narrow, transversely extending lug which is engageable with the lip 25 on the top edge of the rear end wall 5 0 to stop the lid at the open position shown in Figures 2 and 4. When it is desired to remove an empty pack and replace the same with a full one, the lid 2! can be removed altogether by forcing it rearwardly, causing the lug Q5 and catch 40 to ride up over the lip 26. When the case has been filled, the lid 2! is replaced by forcing the same back into position, causing the

lugs

40 and 45 to ride up over the lip 26.

The operation of the container is believed to be clear from the foregoing description. The case is opened by pressing with the thumb or finger against the front edge of the lid 2!, forcing the catch 40 over its lip 4! and releasing the lid so that it can be snapped back to open position by the springs 32. To close the case, the lid 2| is pressed forwardly by thumb or finger, against the pressure of the springs 32, until the catch 40 is forced up over the lip 4! and dropped down into holding position.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that such details are not restrictive of theinvention, but that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the scope of the broader claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a case having an opening provided therein, parallel ways extending along two opposite sides of said opening, a lid having a pair of laterally spaced grooves provided in the underside thereof to receive said ways, whereby said lid is slidably supported on said ways for movement between a closed position in which said opening is covered, and an open position wherein said opening is exposed, said ways being cut away at one end to form a shoulder, a pair of compression springs disposed within said grooves, each of said springs bearing at one end against said shoulder and at the other end against the end of said groove so as to urge said lid toward the open position, a catch on said lid engageable with said case for relea a y holding said lid in said closed position against the pressure of said springs, said catch being yieldable under finger pressure applied to said lid in the direction to open the same, thereby releasing said lid and allowing the same to be moved toward the open position by said springs, and limit stop means for stopping said lid at said open position.

2. A container comprising a case having an opening provided therein, parallel ways extending along two opposite sides of said opening, a lid having a pair of laterally spaced grooves provided in the underside thereof to receive said ways, whereby said lid is slidably supported on said ways for movement between a closed position in which said opening is covered, and an open position wherein said opening is exposed, said ways being cut away at one end to form a shoulder, a pair of compression springs disposed within said grooves, each of said springs bearing at one end against said shoulder and at the other end against the end of said groove, a catch projecting downwardly from the underside of said lid and engageable with a lip on said case for releasably holding said lid in said closed position against the pressure of said springs, said catch being yieldable to release said lid when pressure is applied to the latter in the direction to open the same, and a limit stop lug spaced longitudinally from said catch and projecting downwardly from the underside of said lid, said lug being engageable with another lip on said case to stop said lid at said open position.

3. A container comprising a rectangular case open at one end, parallel ways extending along two opposite side edges of said open end, a lid having a pair of laterally spaced grooves provided in the underside thereof to receive said ways, said lid being slidable on said ways between a closed position entirely covering said open end, and an open position partially exposing said open end, a pair of compression springs disposed within said grooves, each of said springs bearing at one end against the end of its respective groove, and

- at the other end against the end of said way, a

recess formed in one end wall of said case adjacent the edge of said lid, a catch projecting downwardly from the underside of said lid and engageable with a lip on said one end wall of the case for releasably holding said lid. in said closed position against the pressure of said springs, said catch being yieldable to release said lid when pressure is applied to the latter in the direction to open the same, a limit stop lug spaced longitudinally from said catch and projecting downwardly from the underside of said lid, said lug being engageable with a lip on the other end wall of said case to stop said lid at said open position.

JOE M. LYON, JR.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,092 Bellingham Oct. 22, 1901 1,313,003 Meklemburg Aug. 12, 1919 1,860,637 Von Meister May 31, 1932 1,962,860 Duell et a1. June 12, 1934 2,313,428 Glenn Mar. 9, 1943 2,378,003 Duell June 12, 1945