US2690199A - Safety container of envelope type - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1954 G. D. BENNORTH SAFETY CONTAINER oF ENvELoPE TYPE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. l5, 1952 INVENTOR.

GEORGE D. BENNORTH HIS ATTGRNEYS Sept. 28, 1954 G, D. BENNORTH 2,690,199

SAFETY CONTAINER oF ENVELOPE TYPE Filed Aug. l5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. F l G. 9.

GBEYORGE D. BENNORTH HES ATTRNEYS Patented Sept. 28, 1.954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY CONTAINER F ENVELOPE TYPE George D. Bennorth, Mountain View, Calif.

Application August 15, 1952, Serial No. 304,471

Claims. l

The present invention relates to containers, and pertains more particularly to a storage case for the safe-keeping of valuable papers.

Many people keep valuable papers in their homes or offices, and frequently these `papers become -d-amaged by fire or water, even though the fire is 4merely of the flash type, Such `as the burning of curtains or of a waste basket full of papers, and the water is merely from momentary immersion or spray.

While there are available on the market various types of iireproof and Waterproof safes and storage cabinets which would protect such papers if stored therein, the cost of such storage facilities lprevents many people from owning them. Furthermore, even `when such reproof and waterproof storage facilities are available, the papers frequently must be removed for use or for transportation. When so removed they are subject to loss or irreparable damage by even the mos-t transitory exposure to fire or water. This also is true of papers of restricted classification, for example, in the diplomatic and military `departments of government.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a reproof and waterproof container for the storage and transportation of valuable papers. It also is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, lconvenient .and lightweight receptacle for the safe-keeping of valuable papers. The invention also provides a telescoping arrangement whereby an inner envelope portion is retained in close intertted relation with an outer envelope portion regardless of -whether the inner portion is lled or empty.

A still further object of the invention is to `make such an envelope of multi-ply iireproofl sheet material with the edges of the sheet material concealed from view.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pair of blanks used for making one of the envelope portions, the blanks being shown in their position of initial assembly.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the two telescoping envelope portions which are assembled to comprise a case embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragment of the composite sheet material from which the telescoping envelope portions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are made.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of an arrangement for .fabricating the vcomposite sheet material from which the envelope portions are made.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an internally spring biased inner envelope member, a portion thereof being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spring assembly of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 .is an end elevational view of one of the two springs shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line `9 9 of Fig. 6 with the springs removed.

Fig, 10 is an enlarged view of the upper right hand corner portion of Fig. `9.

In the accompanying drawings, a pair of telescoping envelope portions A and B are formed of multiple ply sheet material having a central ply lo of suitable fire an-d tear resistant sheet material, with outer plys Il and l2 of metal foil adhesively secured to opposite sides thereof. The central ply Ill may be of asbestos cloth or other suitable sheet material of which various types are well known to those familiar with the art.

For making suitable three ply material from which the envelope portions may be constructed, the central sheet I0 (Fig. 5) of suitable fireproof material may be fed from a roll Illa thereof and directed to pass between adhesive applicators 3 l, 3l where layers of suitable adhesive material, such as sodium silicate, are applied to both sides of the sheet I0.

Rolls Ila and 12a of metal foil, such as aluminum foil of a Width corresponding to that of the center ply l0, are mounted one on each side of the sheet I0. The foil strips II and I2 and the sheet I0 are passed in relatively superposed p-osition between a pair of pressing rollers 32, 32, which iirmly press the foil strips Il and I2 into close adhering cont-act with opposite sides of the sheet IIJ.

The outer envelope portion A is fabricated from two blanks I4 and I5 of the three-ply material, the blanks being positioned to cross at their centers, at right angles to each other. The narrow first blank I4 is of elongated rectangular shape, with a bottom Iportion I 1 and side wall portions 'I8 and I9. The `wider second blank I5 also is of generally rectangular shape, with a bottom portion 20, corresponding to the -bottom portion I1 of the rst blank I4, and front and rear Wall portions 2l and .22 of the same length as the side `wall portions I8 and I9 of the i'lrst blank I4. The blanks I4 and I5 are -mounted with their bottom portions I1 and 20 relatively 3 su-perposed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and are adhesively secured together in such position.

The blanks I4 and I5 are creased along the dot-dash lines shown in Fig. 2, and the side walls i8, I9 are bent upwardly at right angles to the bottom portion I "I, The second blank I5 is wider than the length of the bottom portion I'I of the narrower blank I4 by an amount sufficient to provide gluing anges 24, 24 (Figs. 1 and 2). These flanges are notched at 25, 25, 25, (Fig. 1) to provide usual corner clearance.

In order to conceal the out edges of the three ply side walls, creases 24a, 24a may be provided along the inner end of each ange 24 as shown in Figs. 6, 9 and l0. These creases comprise a reversely bent portion 24h in the form of a bead which overlies the cut marginal edges of the side walls I8 and I9 when fitted therein as shown in Figs. 6, 9 and 10. The side walls I8 and I9 are adhesively secured to the flanges 24 in such intertted relation.

The second or inner envelope portion B is constructed similarly to the first -or larger envelope portion A, and is suiiiciently smaller than the envelope portion A to be telescopically insertible therein. Retainingmeans such as a pair of indentations 2l, 2l are provided in what may be considered the front wall 2I of the larger or outer envelope portion A, and a single indentation 28 is provided in the opposite wall 22. Similar indentations 29, 29 and 30 are provided in the front and rear walls of the inner envelope portion B in position to register with the indentations 27, 21 and 23, respectively, when the two envelope portions A and B are fully telescoped together as shown in Fig. 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to -8 inclusive, a pair of similar spreader springs 35 and -38 are inserted in the inner envelope portion B to urge it toward fully open position, thereby to bring the indentations 29, 29 and 30 of the inner envelope into register with the corresponding inward embossures of its outer envelope, as described previously herein for the envelopes A and B (Fig. 3). The springs 35 and 36 are of spring wire sucien'tly light to permit the envelope B to be collapsed under pressure for shipping and where conservation of space is desirable.

Each of the members 35 and 38 is of generally rectangular U-coniguration, with -a transverse end portion 3! and side leg portions 38 and 39 extending at right angles thereto to Contact, for example, the rear wall 22 of the envelope B'. The transverse end portion 31 of the U-shaped spring 36 is attached to the front wall 2 I of the inner envelope B by attaching means such as staples 31a. The wires of the legs V3.8 and 35i-are bent at acute angles to form diagonally disposed portions 4t and 3i which slope toward the opposite orgfront wall 2 I. The angularly extending portions 4E! and 4I are bent inwardly at their centers 4ta and 4 Ia (Fig. 8) to provide clearance for the envelope side walls i3 and I9 when the envelope Vis collapsed.

The legs are bent again at the outer ends of the diagonally disposed portions 40 and 4I to form outwardly extending straight portions 42 and '43 which are parallel to the portions 38 and 39, and lie along the front wall 2I of the inner envelope portion B. The portions 42 and 43 terminate short of the mouth of the envelope B in reversely bent end portions 44 and 45.

The other spring member 35 is similar to the member 3E and is mounted inthe inner envelope B in reversed position from the member 3S.

Thus the two springs gently urge the envelope B toward a fully open condition at all times but permit it to be collapsed at when desired for storage or shipping.

The envelope case of the present invention provides a convenient receptacle for the reception of valuable papers, and one in which the papers can conveniently be kept at all times except when they are in actual use.

The foil layers of the envelope walls act as reflectors, to reect back toward its source, radiant heat directed toward the envelope. The interposed asbestos or other intermediate layer of each wall also is of high insulative value. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that when the two envelope portions are assembled in telescoped relation, that a double layer of the three ply material encloses the sides and ends of the assembly. Thus the contents of the envelope are protected on all sides by four layers of foil and two layers of asbestos. The device will protect the papers from fire and water `damage under many circumstances where they otherwise might be destroyed. It therefore has a wide field of use in the storing and transporting of valuable papers both for private and government use.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood, however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent is dened in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A case for the safe-keeping of papers compris-ing a pair of envelope portions each envelope portion comprising va pair of rectangular blanks of sheet material positioned in superposed relation to cross each other centrally at right angles, the superposed portions being adhesively secured together, said blanks being of a length to project beyond the superposed `portions thereof, the projecting portions being bent vat right .anglesto the bottom and joined at their edges to .each other, each blank being of three ply vsheet construction. the center ply being iiexibleand re resistant, and the `inner and outer plies Ibeing of vmetal foil, said envelope portions being Aformed lto fit closely telescopicaily together in endwise reversed relation one within the other.

2. A storage receptacle comprising a pair of relatively telescoping envelopes, the walls `of which are composed of Vmulti-ply material consisting-of a ply of Ybrous woven material covered with a ply of relatively :high melting point metal foil, each envelope having apair of walls thereof joined .to each other iby a joint comprising a iiange integral with one of said walls and reversely lbent relative tosaid one wall, said flange being also bent oppositely to the reverse bend and outwardly therefrom Vby a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the multi-ply wall material, said flange being Vdisposed within :a marginal portion of the other of said joined ywallsand adhesively securedthereto, the edge of said other wall being disposed closely within the bend'oppositely to the reverse bend, thereby to conceal the multi-ply edges of both of said walls.

'3. A storage receptacle VVcomprising a pair of envelope portions, each lenvelope portion comprising a pair of rectangular blanks of sheet material positioned in superposed relation to cross each other centrally at right angles to form the envelope bottom, the superposed bottom forming portions being adhesively secured together, said blanks being of a length to project beyond the superposed bottom forming portions thereof, the projecting portions being bent at right angles to said bottom and joined at their edges to each other to form Walls, each blank being of three ply sheet material consisting of a flexible re resistant center ply covered on both sides thereof with plies of metal foil, each joint joining the edges of two of said walls comprising a ange extending from one of the joining walls and bent reversely to said one Wall to form a bead, a second bend formed in said ange outwardly of said bead, the portion of said flange beyond said second bend being inserted within a marginal portion of the second of said joining walls and adhesively secured thereto, the edge of said second Wall being disposed closely against said bead to conceal the edge of the second wall, said envelope portions being formed to t closely telescopically together in endwise reversed relation one Within the other.

4. A storage receptacle comprising a pair of envelopes of reproof multi-ply material, one of said envelopes being telescopically insertible Within the other, and means for biasing opposite walls of the innermost of said envelopes outwardly for resilient engagement with corresponding walls of the outer envelope when telescopically inserted therein, said biasing means comprising a pair of light spring wires of U-conguration constructed and arranged to t into a marginal portion of the biased walls, a mid-portion of each leg of the U-shaped spring member being disposed at an acute angle to the remainder of the leg to offset the two portions of the leg on opposite sides of the offset portion in parallel planes normally separated by the required maximum separation of the biased Walls of said inner envelope.

5. A receptacle, the Walls of which are composed of multi-ply material consisting of a ply of brous material covered with a ply of metal foil, said receptacle having a pair of Walls thereof intersecting at an angle and joined to each other by a joint comprising a flange integral with one of said Walls and reversely bent relative to said one Wall, said flange being also bent oppositely to the reverse bend and outwardly therefrom at a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the multi-ply wall material, said flange being disposed within a marginal portion of the other of said joined Walls, and adhesively secured thereto, the edge of said other Wall being disposed closely Within the bend oppositely to the reverse bend thereby to conceal the multi-ply edges of both of said walls.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 542,903 Truax July 16, 1895 1,308,058 Evers July l, 1919 2,189,055 Cage Feb. 6, 1940 2,435,355 Ingram Feb. 3, 1948

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