US3077684A

US3077684A - Baggage check

Info

Publication number: US3077684A
Application number: US75287A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gwinn M Benjamin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-12-12
Filing date: 1960-12-12
Publication date: 1963-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-19

Description

Feb. 19, 1963 M. 'BFGWINN 3,077,684

BAGGAGE CHECK Filed Dec. 12, 1960 v 1 I igg II INVENTOR.

M. Benjaman Gwinn BY WHITEHEAD, VOGL 8 LOWE A TTORNEYS 3,077,684 BAGGAGE CHECK M. Benjamin Gwinn, 84975 E. 40th Ave, Denver, Colo. Filed Dec. 12, 196%, Ser. No. 75,287 1 Claim. (Ci. iii-Q1) This invention relates to baggage checks, and more particularly to baggage checks of the general type having a numbered tag which is adapted to be attached to an article of baggage when it is being shipped and a correspondingly numbered stub which is retained by the owner of the baggage to permit him to claim the baggage by matching the stub with the tag. Accordingly, the invention will be hereinafter referred to as a baggage check and the components thereof will be called a tag and a stub.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved baggage check which is formed as a simple rectangular blank of paper or lightweight cardboard including the tag and stub and with the stub portion being adapted to be severed from the tag at a perforated line between them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved baggage check having a tag portion which may be quickly and easily looped about a baggage handle or strap and affixed thereto as a closed loop by simply bringing the ends of the tag together and without the use of strings, clips or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved baggage check tag which may be snugly and securely affixed to a baggage handle or strap in a selected position where the tag will not be disturbed by normal handling of the baggage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved baggage check tag which may be snugly and securely aflixed to a baggage handle or strap at any selected position regardless of the size or shape of the handle or strap.

Yet other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved baggage check construction which is simple, neat, economical and may be furnished in quantity as compact bundles or books or in neat compact packages.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain improved constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claim and illustrated, in preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the outer side of a rectangular baggage check blank constructed according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the inner side of the blank shown at FIG. 1.

'FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of an article of baggage, hereinafter referred to as a suitcase, showing the tab portion of the check as being affixed to the suitcase handle but before the stub is removed.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, as taken from the indicated line 4-4 at FIG. 3 but on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a suitcase showing the tab portion of the check as being afiixed to a strip, and with the stub removed.

Whenever a suitcase or a like article of baggage is placed in transit or is otherwise mixed with other baggage there must be some means of identifying the suitcase so that the owner may properly claim it at the end of the trip. Most conventional types of baggage checks are formed as on cards or tags having strings for attachment to the baggage, and also stubs which are disconnected from the cards and retained by the owners of the baggage. The obvious disadvantages of such types of baggage checks are that an appreciable amount of time is required to properly tie the tags onto the baggage and when so tied, the tags can flip and move from one position to another and are often accidentally torn loose from the baggage when in transit. Another construction of a baggage check is a tag which is formed as a strip adapted to be wrapped around a suitcase handle or strap as a loop. The loop is closed by connecting the ends of the strip together. This construction avoids some disadvantages of the string-connected types of tags. However, such looped tags are also generally unsatisfactory since they are designed to fit loosely as upon a suitcase handle. If such checks are made of paper or cardboard, they often get in the way and are easily torn off when the baggage is being handled. For this reason tags of this type are not ordinarily used if made of paper. Tags of this type are sometimes made of leather but such tags are comparatively expensive and are used as permanent appendages to the baggage.

With such considerations in view, the present inven-' tion was conceived and developed, and comprises, in essence, a baggage check having a tag of paper or lightweight cardboard which may =be looped about a handle or strap of the baggage. The invention incorporates a unique application of latex adhesive coated surfaces to bind the ends of the tag together and also to permit a folding of the tag loop about a baggage handle or strip in a manner which snugly grips the handle or strap to keep the loop in a fixed position and generally out of the way of damage whenever the baggage is being handled, as hereinafter described in detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved baggage check is provided as an elongated, rectangular blank 10 of paper or lightweight cardboard which has sufficient thickness and rigidity to hold its shape under ordinary use. In this convenient form a large number of blanks may be stored and kept in a small carton or a number of blanks may be temporarily bound together by gluing the ends together. This blank 10 includes the two components, a strip-shaped tag 11 and a short stub 12 at one end of the tag. The stub is to eventually be severed from the tag and a transverse, perforated tear line 13 is disposed between the tag and stub. To match the tag and stub after they are separated like numerals 14, or other suitable like symbols are printed on the outside face of the tag and on the stub.

The tag 11 is necessarily formed with an outer face whereon the numbers 14 and other suitable printing, such as advertising, may be located and an inner face whose surfaces come together when the tag is folded upon a suitcase handle or strap. To effect such folding, a group of creases 15 are located at the center portion of the strip-like tag and the two larger portions of the inner face of this tag at each side of the creases 15 are coated with a selected type of adhesive at 16.

To accomplish the primary purpose of the invention, the adhesive surface coatings 16 are of a latex type which is uniquely characterized by the property of not adhering to other types of surfaces but tightly adhering to like latex surfaces whenever two like surfaces are grought together with slight pressure. Latex types of adhesive which have such a property are well known to the art and need not be further described.

PXGURES 3, 4 and 5 illustrate specifically how the baggage check is affixed to a suitcase 17, as by wrapping the tag 11 about the leg portion of a handle 18 or about a binding strip 19 or any like member which may func tion as a carrying member for the tag. In either instance it is to be noted that the loop 20, which is formed Patented Feb. 19, 1963' 3 by the creases '15 in the center region of the tag, tightly embraces its carrying member, the handle leg or strap, in such a manner as to prevent the tag 11 from slipping or rotating from its fixed position. This is possible because of'the use of the specified type of latex adhesive coatingsld which are at the inner face of the tag 11 and which extend from each end oi the tag to and preferably within the region of the creases 1 as indicated at 21;. With the adhesive coatings 16 thus formed on the inner surface, the tag 11 may be folded about its carrying member with the end portions bound together by the adhesive and with a comparatively tight crotch 22 where the loop comm ns In the preferred construction, portions of the adhesive coated surfaces extend within the region of the creases, as described, and actually contact the handle 18 or strap 19 While such latex-coated surfaces will not adhere to the carrying member, there is nevertheless a frictional gripping eiiect by the latex contacting the handle or strap which further restrains movements between, the tag on, its carrying member. Furthermore, if desired,this adhesive ooating may extend completely across the region of the fold lines 15-. to take full advantage of this effect.

I The merits of this improved'tag, which-will stay where it is placed, are immediately obvious. The tag may be placed; on the leg portion of the handle 1-8 to outstand therefrom in a direction longitudinal with the axis of the handle and it will not shift upwardly onto the gripping portion of the handle nor will it align itself, in a manner where itwill be crushed when the handle is swung from side to side as when the baggage is being handled. If

the handle is not to be used during transit, the tag may be disposed-between the legs of the handle as indicated bybroken lines where'it will be safer from abuse and.

eahnotbe accidentally torn from he handle. Likewise,

the tag may be afiixed to a, strap in a manner which causes it to lie flatly against-the side. of the suitcase and:

in a position where there is; aminimum chance for the tag being accidently pulledor torn off the suitcase.

- I, have now described my invention in considerable detail, but it is obvious. that others skilled in the art can devise and 'build other alternate and equivalent constructions which are nevertheless within the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence, I desire that my protection be limited, not by the constructions illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A baggage check comprising a stub and a tag, said tag being formed as an elongated, uniform, rectangular paperlike member, said tag having a folding portion at the center thereof formed by a series of parallel transverse crease lines, and an adhesive continuously coating the surface of one face of said member at each sid'eof, and extending somewhat into, the folding portion, said adhesive being characterized, by the property oi adhering. to like coated surfaces, but not adhering to, uncoated, surfaces, said stub consisting of an integral and uniform,

continuation of said tag projecting axially of one end portion of said member, the junction between said stub and said tag being; defined by a transverse, line, of petforations, the end portion of, said tag adjacent said stub and said stub having corresponding identifying indicia printed onthe same face thereof, said sa'me, face being opposite said one; face, whereby when said tag is afiixed to a holding member, it can be wrapped thereabout and aiiixed thereto by bringing the adhesive coated surfaces at each sideof said folding PDrtiqn toge her with, said. crease lines at the folding portion facilitating; making a; snug wrap about the holding member andwith the, contacting adhesive coated surfaces; extending to the edge of the wrap about the holding member thereby holding the wrap in asnug position preventing the tag, from shifting on the holding member and with the indiciafixedly supported in projecting, relation to the holding member, and-whereby said stub can be tearingly detached from said tag.

References Citcdinthe fileofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 857,778 Wittstein June 25, 19.07 2,000,763 Lane May 7, 1935 2,098,164 Rice Nov. 2, 1937