US2913100A - Spectacle cases - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1959 w. c. CARMIICHAEL SPEC'I'ACLE CASES Fi led Dec. 27, 1957 INVEN TOR WALTER C. CARMICHAEL A TTQ/ZNEY 2,913,100 SPECTACLE CASES Walter C. Carmichael, Lexington, Mass, assignor""to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass, a"

voluntary association of Massachusetts I Application December 27, 1957, Serial No. 705,565

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-) This invention relates to spectacle cases and has particular reference to open-end cases formed of flexible sheet material.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved open-end spectacle case formed of a single piece of flexible sheet material folded to form a spectacle re ceivingpocket having front,..back andbottom walls de-, tachably secured together.

A further object of the invention is to provide an openend spectacle case of the above nature wherein the walls forming the spectacle receiving pocket are detachably secured together without the use of adhesives, snap fasteners or stitching.

Another object is to provide a spectacle case of this nature which may be economically produced by using a single piece of material and a minimum of manufacturing operations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a spectacle case embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the spectacle case shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the spectacle case;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the case is formed; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. 1, showing the spectacle case in partially folded condition.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, the case embodying the invention, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in final folded and secured condition, is formed from a single unitary piece of flexible sheet material such as leather, fabric, plastic or the like which is initially blanked out to the shape shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 4, the blank 10, which is cut out of a sheet of suitable material by blanking die or the like, comprises a back wall portion 11, inner and outer front wall portions 12 and 13 respectively, extending from the opposed sides of the back wall portion 11, and a bottom wall portion 14 extending from the lower end of the back wall portion 11. The portions 11, 12 and 13 are so dimensioned as to permit their being folded into superposed relation with each other, and to be detachably secured together to form the spectacle case embodying the invention. The outer contour shape of the portions 11, 12 and 13 may beof any configuration, depending on the design of case desired, and while these portions are shown as having straight or angularly disposed contour lines in the drawing, they may be rounded, scalloped, etc., if desired.

To secure the several portions together when in folded overlying relation, the blank adjacent the outer edge of the front wall portion 12 is provided with vertically disposed spaced slits 15 and 16 and a horizontally disposed slit 17 adjacent the lower edge of the bottom wall portion 14, which are adapted to cooperate with the tabs 18, 19 and which are formed in the inner wall portion 13. The slits 15, 16 and 17 and the tabs 18, 19 and 20 are preferably formed in the blank in the same operation in which the blank is formed, but may be subsequently formed, if desired.

The tabs 18, 19 and 20 are substantially T-shaped with.

the width of the head of each tab greater in dimension than the length'of the slits, 15, 16 and 17, with'which they are adapted to cooperate, and the width of the body portions thereof are substantially the same as the length of said slits. The T- shaped tabs 18 and 19 are formed in theblank 10 with the width of the head portion eXtend-' ingin the same direction as the slits 15 and 16 and in spaced vertical relation with each other similar to the spacing of the slits 15 and 16. The said tabs are so located in the-wall portion 13 as to automatically align the head portion ofthe tabs with the said slits when thewall portions 12 and 13 are folded inwardlyalong the dash lines 23 and 24: into overlying relation with eachotherand the back wall 11. Thetab 20, alsoformed in the wall portion 13, and which is adapted to cooperate with the slit 17 in the-wall portion 14, is so located therein that when the said wall portionsar e in 1011 61 relation-witheach-. other, the said tab 20 will bein alignment -withthe slit 17, with the head of the T disposed in the same direction as said slit.

The blank 10 is provided with V- shaped notches 21 and 22 in the upper and lower contour edges between the back wall portion 11 and the respective wall portions 12 and 13, with the apices thereof located on the lines 23 and 24 along which the wall portions are adapted to be subsequently folded. The notched portions, therefore, provide guide means for properly locating said fold lines 23 and 24.

In Fig. 5, the blank 10 from which the case is formed is shown in partially folded and secured condition and particularly shows how the bottom of the case is formed. As shown, the inner front wall portion 13 is first folded on the line 23 intersecting the apices of the V-shaped notches 21 into spaced overlying relationwith the back wall portion 11 and the outwardly extending bottom wall portion 14 of the back wall portion 11 is then folded into overlying relation with the wall portion 13 and detachably secured thereto by extending the head of the T-shaped tab 20 through the slit 17. It will also be seen that when the wall portion 13 is folded into spaced overlying relation with the back wall portion 11, that one side of the case will be closed.

After the wall portions 13 and 14 are detachably secured together, forming the bottom and one closed side of the case, the wall portion 12 is folded along line 24 intersecting the apices of the V-shaped notches 22, into overlying relation with the portions 11, 13 and 14 and the enlarged head portions of the tabs 18 and 19 of the wall portion 13 are inserted through the slits 15 and 16 of said wall portion 12, thereby completing the front wall of the case and also closing in the other side.

Itis to be understood that while the portions 12, 13 and 14 are shown and described as being folded into a particular superposed relationship with each other, that they may be folded in different relationship and still be secured together in the same manner without requiring any changes in the construction of the blank, or location of the slits and tabs. For example, the wall portion 12 may be positioned on the inner side of the front of the case and the wall portion 13 on. the outer side, or the wall portion 14 may be positioned on the inner side of the wall portion 13. This is possible, through the particular construction of the tabs, whereby they may be extended outwardly of either surface of the wall portion 13.

These and other variations may be made within the scope of the invention. From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple, eflicient and economical means Patented Nov. ,17, 1959 t have been provided for accomplishing all the objects and advantages of the invention;

I claim:

An open end spectacle case formed of flexible sheet material -comprising a rectangular1y-- shaped back-- wall portion, a firstinner wall portion of a width slightly lessthan the'back wallportion connected to and extending along a fold line at one side ofand in overlying relation with saidback' wall portion and having a relatively straight free edge in substantially parallel relation with the'adjacent edge of the back wall portion, said back and first wall portions having a set of opposed V-shaped notches in the upper and lower edges thereof the apices'of which establish the line of fold of said wall portions, said back wall portion having an integrally connected relatively-shortsubstantially square bottom portion folded to overliethelower portion of said first inner Wall portion along a line flush with the lower edge of said first inner wall portion, said relatively short bottom portion having ahorizontally disposed slot spaced-slightly inwardlyof its'free edge, said first inner wall portion having a tab extending outwardly of a side thereof located in aligned relation with said slot and having a neck portion overlying the end of the short bottom portion between the slot and the adjacent edge thereof, and having an enlarged head'extending inwardly through said slot to retain said short bottom portion in said folded position, .a second outer wall portion of a width slightly less than said first inner wall port-iomconnected to and extending along a fold line at the other side of said back wall portion and in overlying relation with said first inner wall portion and short bottom'portion, said back and second wall portions having a second set of opposed notches in the upper and lower edges thereof the apices of which establish the line of fold of said latter Wall portions, said second outer wall portion having spaced vertically disposed slots located. inwardly andssubstantially parallel. with the outer References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS Belden -Apr. 19461 Hall' Apr; 13, 1948 Stegeman in Jan. 121957"

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