US3155230A - Container with push button combination locking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

P. NEMSKY Nov. 3, 1964 CONTAINER WITH PUSH BUTTON COMBINATION LOCKING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1963 INVENTOR. 76 /P /V.=M5K) P. NEMSKY Nov. 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1965 a v n v 7 ul 1 3 P a Q1 41 1%- I: I. am 3i at rw- 5 3 i d l 6 a ln' E 1 M 1% rVV. I ll! 4 i 3 3 4 6 i 4 0% fi Q- 1 4 n a mM V W .3 T

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,155,236 CGNTAINER WITH PUSH BUTTON OMBI- NATIQN LGUKING MECHANISM Philip Nernsiiy, an Francisco, Calif. (Eli S. Iron Sh, Deming, N. Mex.) Filed May 2%, 1963, Ser. No. 281,435 6 Claims. (6i. 2061.5)

This invention relates to combination lock containers in general, and is particularly directed to a box, case or equivalent container, which features push-button combination lock means and which may be advantageously employed in the merchandising of various items, such as jewelry, watches or the like, as a novel sales package for displaying such items and accompanying same in the sale thereof.

The saleability of various precious or delicate items, such as jewelry, watches or the like, is enhanced where the item is provided within a locking container which accompanies the item in the sale thereof and which, accordingly, may be employed by the purchaser in the subsequent safe storage of the purchased item. Combination locking means may be advantageously employed in these merchandising containers both from the standpoint of the sales novelty thereby afforded as well as the actual safeguard facilitated, in preventing children, for example, from handling the precious or delicate items stored therein when not in use. It will be appreciated that the combination locking means of such a merchandising container, in order to be practical, must be sufficiently complex to discourage the ready opening thereof through systematic trial-and-error setting of the locking mechanism to the various possible combinations thereof. In other words, there must be sufficient possible combinations afforded by the locking mechanism that there is a low probability that the one combination which opens the container can be attained without substantial manipulation of the locking mechanism. On the other hand, in order for such a combination lock merchandising container to be economically feasible, it must be capable of being manufactured at a low cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a merchandising container for jewelry, watches or the like which includes a novel, highiy effective, push-button combination locking mechanism capable of being manufactured at extremely low cost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apush-button combination locking container which includes a transparent compartment for the display of contents, which compartment is rendered accessible only upon the depression of a predetermined combination of push buttons associated with the container.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a merchandising container which includes a transparent display compartment mounted upon an opaque base, and pushbutton actuated combination locking means for preventing removal of the compartment from the base except when a predetermined combination of push buttons are depressed.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a push-button combination locking merchandising container, of the class described, wherein the locking mechanism is effective in locking the compartment to the base from both sides thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pushbutton combination locking container, of the class described, which is adapted for construction substantially entirely from low-cost materials, such as plastic.

Various other possible objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of a single preferred embodiment of this invention. It is not intended, however, to limit the present invention by the terms of the following description; but, instead, reference is made to the appended claims for a precise delineation of the true scope of this invention.

The invention is illustrated as to a single preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the merchandising container of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at line 33 of FIGURE 1, and illustrating particularly the novel push button combination lock means of the case;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4- of FIGURE 2, but with the display compartment of the container removed from the base thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5--5 of FIGURE 3, illustrating particularly the reset mechanism of the combination lock means; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 5, illustrating further details of the reset mechanism.

Considering now the invention in some detail and referring to the illustrated form thereof in the drawings, particularly FIGURE 1 thereof, there Will be seen to be provided a merchandising container 11 which includes a base housing 12 with a transparent display compartment 13 mounted thereon and selectively releasable therefrom by combination lock means, including depressible push buttons 14. More particularly, the lock means are effective in obstructing removal of the compartment 13 from the base 12 until such time as a predetermined combination of the plurality of push buttons 14 are depressed. Thereupon, the compartment 13 may be slideably re moved from the base 12 to facilitate access to the interior of the container, whereby the jewelry, watch or other precious or delicate items contained therein may be removed. In the specific embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described in detail, six push buttons 14 are provided in the combination locking mechanism; and, depression of a predetermined combination of three thereof is required for re lease of the display compartment from the base 12. It can be shown that in this specific embodiment, employing six push buttons 14, there are 56 combinations of three push buttons which may be depressed. Thus, it will be appreciated that the probability is slight that one could arrive at the predetermined combination of three push buttons required to release the display compartment from the base without substantial trial-and-error manipulation of the plurality of buttons 14. Hence, the push-button combination locking arrangement tends to discourage opening of the container by unauthorized individuals, such as children, and the contents of the compartment 13 may be safely stored therein. It will, of course, be appreciated that more or less of the push buttons 14 than the six depicted in the preferred embodiment may be provided if desired; and, accordingly, no limitations are intended from the specific quantity of six push buttons herein employed.

In the preferred construction of the merchandising container 11 briefly outlined above, the base 12 is of longitu dinally elongated, substantially rectangular, boxlike configuration, open at its top and at one end thereof. More particularly, the base 12 is defined by parallel-spaced side walls 16, 17, interconnected at their lower ends by a transverse base wall 18. The side walls are preferably formed with laterally projecting, longitudinally extending flanges 19 and 21 along their upper edges; and, these flanges are provided with longitudinally extending groves 22 and 23 which extend into the interior faces of the side Walls. The

base 12 further includes an end wall 2 which is conformed to the transverse cross-section of the side walls, including the laterally projecting flanges thereof, and which is secured to one end of the base wall 18 and side walls 16 and 17 to thereby close one end of the base 12. It is to be noted that the end Wall 24 likewise closes the grooves 21 and 22 at one end thereof. In addition, the base includes a support wall 26 which is secured between the side walls 16 and 17 in spaced relation above the base wall 13 to thus define an enclosed region or compartment 27 therebetween which serves to house various components of the push-button combination locking mechanism, as will be subsequently described in detail herein. Thi compartment is closed at the open end of the base 12; by an end wall-2% which extends transversely between the side walls 16 and 17 adjacent the lower ends thereof. The upper edge of end wall 28 is downwardly spaced from the support wall 26 to define a slot 2? therebetween for purposes subsequently described. Preferably, the base 12, as formed of theelements just described, is fabricated of opaque plastic material or equivalent low-cost opaque structural material which is capable of being readily formed in the configuration described hereinbefore by mass production techniques.

-With regard to the display compartment 13, same may have substantially any desired closed configuration which has a lower portion conformed to the transverse crosssection of the base 12. More explicit y, the compartment 13 includes parallel-spaced side walls 31, 32 interconnected at their upper edges by a preferably arcuate top wall 33 extending therebetween. End walls 34 and 36, of conformed cross-section, are secured in transverse closing relation to the opposite ends of the side walls 31 and 32, and top wall 33. A removable base wall 37 is provided at the lower end of the compartment 13 to wholly enclose the same. Removable attachment of the base wall 37 may be provided in any desirable manner, for example, by means of a force fit, into longitudinally extending grooves 38 and 39 provided in the bottom edges of side walls 31, 32 adjacent the interior faces thereof. Finger holes or the like (not shown) may be provided in the .base wall 37 to facilitate grasping thereof, whereby this wall may be withdrawn from its force fit engagement with the grooves 33 and 39 to thus afford access to the compartment interior. It is of importance to note that the transverse dimension of the compartment is substantially equal to the spacing between the interior faces of side walls 16 and 17 of base housing 12. In addition, laterally projecting flanges, or lips, 41 and 42 extend longitudinally along the exterior faces of side walls 31 and 32, and are upwardly spaced from the base of the compartment 13 by an amount substantially equal to the vertical distance between the support wall 26 and base edges of the grooves 22 and 23. The lips 41 and 4-2 are conformed to the grooves 22 and 23, such that the lips may be slideably inserted into the grooves from the open end of the base housing. Thus, with the lips engaged within the grooves, the compartment 13 may be slideably inserted into the open end of the base to a fully-inserted position wherein the end wall 36 of the compartment abuts the end wall 24 of the base housing. The longitudinal dimension of the compartment 13 is comparable to that of the base housing, such that when the compartment is thus fully inserted, the end wall 3 2 of the compartment is positioned with its exterior face substantially flush with that of end Wall 28. By virtue of the structural arrangement of the base housing 12 and compartment 13, the latter can only be removed by sliding same longitudinally of the housing in the direction of its open end. Of course, the base wall 37 of the compartment 13 can only be removed therefrom following the prior withdrawal of the compartment from the housing. Thus, by the provision of means which are normally operable to prevent longitudinal sliding of the compartment 13 in the direction of the open end of the base housing, but which are selectively operable to permit such movement of the compartment, access to the interior of the compartment may be rendered selective. The push-button combination locking means outlined hereinbefore facilitate such selective access to the compartment, the locking means being arranged such that longitudinal movement of the compartment in the direction of the open end of the base housing is prevented, except when a predetermined combination of the push buttons 14 are depressed.

In accordance with the particular salient aspects of the present invention, the push-button combination locking means include a plurality of depressible plunger-s 4-3 mounted alongthe respective side edges of the base housing .12. with exposed ends projecting vertically therefrom and defining the push button 14 of previous mention. More particularly, pluralities of guide casings 4d are provided in longitudinally-spaced relation along the opposite side walls 16 and 17 of the base housing 12 to extend vertically from beneath the base wall 18 to a point upwardly spaced from the flanges 21 and 22. These casings define vertically extending wells 45' which intersect the grooves 22 and 23. The plungers 43 are respectively mounted for reciprocation with the wells and, thus, pass through the grooves 22 and 23. Preferably, the upper ends of the casings 4-4, which overlie the flanges 19 and 21, are enlarged so as to provide enlarged well portions for slideably receiving stop-collars 46 provided integrally with the plungers 43. A shoulder 47 is provided within the enlarged portion of each well in downwardly-spaced relation from the top wall of the casing. Accordingly, the plungers 43 are respectively movable within the wells 45 between upper and lower positions which are determined by engagement of the collars 46 with the upper walls of the casings 44 and the shoulders 47, respectively. Preferably, the plungers 43 are normally disposed in their upper positions; and, to this end, each plunger is advantageously spring-loaded, as by means of a coil spring 43, disposed within the lower end of the casing 44 and engaging the lower end of the plunger 43 disposed therein. Thus, the collars 46 normally engage the top walls of the casings, and the push buttons 14 accordingly project upwardly therefrom. However, the push buttons may be depressed in opposition to the loading of the coil springs 48 to the lower or retracted positions determined by engagement of the collars 45 with the shoulders 47. This depression of a predetermined combination of the push buttons 14- effects release of the compartment 13 for slideable withdrawal from the open end of the base housing 12 in a manner now described.

Normal retentive locking of the compartment 13 upon the base housing 12 and selective release of the former upon depression of a predetermined combination of the push buttons 14, is facilitated by longitudinally-spaced notches 49 which are provided in the laterally projecting lips 41 and 42 of the compartment and adapted for traversal by the plungers 43 when the compartment is in its fully-inserted position within the base housing More particularly, the notches 49 are positioned and dimensioned to register with the vertical wells 45 at their intersections with the grooves 22 and 23, when the compartment is in fully-inserted position. Thus, the plungers extend through the notches d? and, hence, prevent longitudinal movement of the compartment relative to the base. it is particularly important to note that a predetermined number of the plungers are provided with grooves 51 which are adapted to register with the grooves 22 or 23 when these plungers are in their retracted positions of push-button depression. The remaining plungers 43 are provided with grooves $2, which are adapted to register with grooves 22 or 23 when the plungers are in their normal positions corresponding to extension of the push buttons from the tops of thecasings 4-4. Thus, the grooves 52 are normally in registry with the grooves 22 or 23 ,whereas the grooves 51 are normally out of registration therewith. Conversely, when the push buttons 1 are depressed the grooves 52 are out of registry and the ai's'aaso grooves 51 are in registry with the grooves 22 or 23. Hence, registration of all the grooves .51 and 52 with the grooves 22 or 23 occurs only when the push buttons and their integral plungers, having grooves 51 therein, are depressed while the remaining push buttons and integral plungers, having grooves 52, are simultaneously extended. At this time, there is, of course, no obstruction to withdrawal or insertion of the compartment 13 out of, or into the base housing 12, there being no obstructions in grooves 22 or 23 to sliding movement of the lips 41, 42 therein. It will be accordingly appreciated that depression of a predetermined combination of the push buttons 14, name- 1y those push buttons integrally associated with the plungers having the grooves 51 therein, is required for release of the compartment 13 from the base housing 12. When any but this proper combination of push buttons are depressed, all of the grooves 51 and 52 will not be in registry with the grooves 22 and 23; and, accordingly, some of the plungers 4-3 will engage the corresponding notches 49, and thus lock the compartment to the base. Numerous combinations are, of course, possible with the arrangement of push buttons 14, these combinations being determined by the provision of grooves 51 and 52 in predetermined ones of the plungers 43 when these components are manufactured and assembled at the factory. It should be noted, however, that with the specific embodiment of the conta ner illustrated in the drawings and herein described, employing six push buttons, it is preferable that a combination of three push buttons be required to effect release of the compartment from the base housing in order to afiord the greatest number of possible combinations and reduce the probability of opening the container through trial-and-error manipulation of the push buttons as much as possible.

It is noted that the combination of push buttons which elfect release of the compartment from the base housing include push button plungers on both sides thereof. A more effective locking action is thereby attained, inasmuch as the compartment is locked to the base on both sides. In addition, viewing of the grooves 22 and 23 and grooves 51 and 52 through the lips 41 and 42 of the transparent compartment is necessarily masked to prevent direct observation of the proper combination of push buttons to be depressed to release the compartment. In this regard, the lips 41, 42 are preferably opaque as indicated in the drawings.

In order that the plungers 43 be retained in their lower positions upon depression of the push buttons 14, the locking means employed in the merchandising container of the present invention preferably includes a resettable latching mechanism. Upon depression of any combination of the push-button plungers, the latching mechanism operates to retain the plungers in retracted positions until the latching mechanism is reset, whereupon the plungers are released and their associated springs 48 return same to their uppermost, extended push-button positions. In its preferred form, the latch mechanism includes sets of latch bars 53, which are transversely disposed within guide channels 54 extending transversely between the side walls 16 and 17 of base housing 12 within the compartment 27. The latch bars are normally urged transversely outward, as by means for compression springs 55, disposed between the inner ends of the latch bars of each set thereof. The outer ends of the latch bars extend through apertures 56 in the side walls 16 and 17, and into the wells 45 defined by the guide casings 44. The outer end tips of the latch bars 53 consequently resiliently engage the lower ends of the plungers 43 disposed within the wells. The plungers 43 are provided with latch grooves 57 which are registerable with the apertures when the plungers 43 are in their lowermost positions effected by depression of the push buttons 14 integrally associated therewith. Accordingly, when the push buttons are depressed and the plungers 43 are moved downwardly, the grooves '7 register with the apertures 56; and, thelatch bars 53 are consequently urged into engagement With such grooves to thereby latch the plungers in depressed position.

Resetting of the latching mechanism to permit return of the plungers 43 and their associated push buttons 14 to their normal extended positions is herein achieved by means of a reset member 58, which is operable to selec tively draw the latch bars 53 transversely inward and out of engagement with the latch grooves 57 provided in the .plungers. Preferably, the reset member 58 is provided as a flat, rectangular reset slide which is horizontally disposed within the compartment 27 and longitudinally slideable over the upper edges of the guide channels 54 which house the latch bars 53. The reset slide 53 is normally urged longitudinally outward in the direction .of the slot 29 provided in the open end of the base housing 12, as by means of a compression spring 5'3, disposed within a bushing 60 projectingv from the interior face of base housing end wall 24 and engaging the end edge of the slide. The spring 60 hence urges the slide 58 longitudinally towards the open end of the base to a normal position determined by a stop-member 61, which depends from the slide and is engageable with one of the channels 54. The slide 53 is formed with a tongue 62, which projects exteriorly through the slot 29 so as to be externally accessible. The slide 53 includes a plurality of inwardly slanted cam slots 63 adjacent the side edges thereof; and, these slots are engaged by upwardly projecting follower pins .64, which are respectively integrally associated with the latch bars 53. When the slide 58 is in its normal position, the follower pins 64 engage the respective slots 63 of the slide at positions of greatest lateral displacement from its longitudinal center line. This end of each slot is provided with a transversely inwardly extending enlarged portion 65 to permit limited transverse movement of the follower pins 64 therein. Such movement enables the latch bars 53 to move freely through the apertures 56 into engagement with the latch grooves 57 of the plungers 43' when the latter are depressed and the grooves are in registry with the apertures. However, when the tongue 62 is depressed and the slide is thus urged longitudinally in the direction of the closed end of the base housing, the follower pins 64 are guided Within the cam slots 63 towards the ends of the slots which are closest to the longitudinal centerline of the slide. Thus, the follower pins and associated latch bars 53 are urged transversely inward against the loading of springs 55. The latch bars are accordingly withdrawn from engagement with the grooves 57 of the plungers 4 3 to thereby free the latter for spring-Loaded return to their normal uppermost positions of p ush-button extension.

hen the slide 53 is released, the spring 60 returns same to its normal position, at which time the follower pins 64; are disposed within the transversely enlarged portions 65 of the slots 63. Freedom of transverse movement of the latch bars 53 is thereby permitted and latching of the plungers 43 in their retracted positions is again effected upon depression of the push buttons 14.

There is thus provided by the present invention a pushbutton combination lock container 11, which has a cornpartment 13 Within which jewelry, Watches or similar precious or delicate items may be disposed, and the com- 'partment looked upon the base housing 12. In order to remove the items from the compartment 13, it is necessary to depress a predetermined combination of the push buttons 14, whose integrally associated plungers 43 have grooves 51 which are registerable with the grooves 22 and 23 when the plungers are in their retracted positions corresponding to push-button depression. Upon depression of the proper combination of the push buttons 14, the latch bars 53v engage the latch grooves 57 of the plungers associated with these push buttons and retain same in retracted positions. At this time, the grooves 51 of the retracted plungers and the grooves 52 of the plungers which are in their normal extended positions are registered with the grooves 22 or 23; and, accordingly, the compartment 13 may be freely withdrawn from the open end of the base housing. With the compartment withdrawn, its bottom wall 37 may be removed therefrom to provide access to the items contained within the compartment. With the bottom wall 37 again placed in closing relation to the bottom of the compartment 13, the lips 41 and 42 of the latter may be slideably engaged within the grooves 22 and 23, respectively, and the compartment inserted through the open end of the base housing 12 to a normal fully-inserted position thereon. The tongue 62 of the reset slide 53 is then depressed so that the cam slots 63 and follower pins 64 thereby effect withdrawal of the latch bars 53 from the grooves 57 of the retracted plungers 43. The Plungers 43 accordingly return to their normal positions wherein their associated push buttons 14 are extended. At this time, the plungers 43 having the grooves 51 engage the notches 49 provided in the lips 41 and 42 of the compartment 13 and thus prevent longitudinal movement thereof from the base housing 12. Likewise, with any but the predetermined combination of push buttons 14 depressed, some of the plungers 43 engage their associated slots 43 in the lips 41 and 42 of the compartment 13 to hence prevent its longitudinal movement relative to the base housing. By virtue of the substantial number of possible combinations of push buttons 14 which may be depressed, access to the items contained within the compartment 13 by anyone not aware of the predetermined combination is discouraged. Aside from the use of the container 11 in the safeguarding of jewelry, watches or the like, such container may be adapted to use as a bank, by providing a coin receiving slot 66 in the compartment 13.

What is claimed is:

1. A merchandising container comprising a substantially rectangular base housing having an open top and an open end, a display compartment disposed within the open top of said housing and longitudinally slideable relative thereto, said compartment having notched lateral projections along its opposite side walls slideaoly received in longitudinally extending grooves in the side walls of said housing, and a plurality of plungers reciprocably mounted within said housing adjacent the opposite sides thereof and respectively extending through the notches in said lateral projections of said compartment, said plungers being depressible from extended positions wherein the upper ends thereof are extended from said housing and define push buttons to retracted positions wherein the push buttons are substantially retracted within said housing, a first plurality of said plungers having grooves registrable with said grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plungers are in their retracted positions, the remaining plurality of said plungers having grooves registrable with said grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plungers are in their extended positions, whereby upon depression of said first plurality of plungers to their retracted positions while the remaining plurality of plungers are in their extended positions, the grooves of all plungers are in registry with the grooves in the side walls of said housing and longitudinal sliding of said compartment from said housing is unobstructed.

2. A merchandising container according to claim 1, wherein said plungers are spring-loaded towards their extended positions and further comprising latching means disposed within said housing for retentively engaging said plungers in their retracted positions, and reset means disposed within said housing in extension therefrom and operatively associated with said latching means to selectively disengage the latching means from said plungers.

3. A merchandising container according to claim further defined by said latching means comprising a pinrality of latch bars transversely mounted within said housing and spring-loaded for movement outwardly into engagement with said plungers, said latch bars having follower pins projecting therefrom, said plungers having latch grooves for receiving said latch bars when said plungers are in their retracted positions, and said reset means comprising a slide reciprocably mounted within said housing and having cam surfaces engaged by said follower pins for urging said latch bars inwardly in response to translation of said slide.

4. A merchandising container comprising a substantially rectangular box-like base housing of opaque plastic material having an open top and one open end, said housing having opposed longitudinally extending grooves in the interior surfaces of the side walls thereof, said housing having a plurality of longitudinally-spaced wells adjacent the side walls thereof extending vertically downward intosaid housing and intersecting said grooves, a display compartment having integral top, end and side wall portions and a removable bottom wall, said compartment having laterally projecting lips extending longitudinally along the side wall portions thereof and slideably engageable in said grooves, said lips having longitudinally-spaced notches respectively registerable with said wells, said compartment being formed of transparent plastic material and including opaque masking means in the regions of said lips, a plurality of push-button plungers reciprocably mounted within said wells and movable between limited extended and retracted positions, a predetermined number of said plungers having grooves registerable with said grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plungers are in said retracted positions and the remaining ones of said plungers having grooves registerable with said grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plungers are in said extended positions, means spring loading said plungers to said extended positions, latch means disposed within said housing for retentatively engaging said plungers in said retracted positions, and reset means extending from said housing and operatively associated with said latch means for selectively disengaging the latch means from said plungers.

5. A merchandising container according to claim 4, wherein said latch means comprises a plurality of latch bars mounted within said housing for translation transversely into said wells, said latch bar-s spring-loaded transversely outward to resiliently engage said plungers, said latch bars having upward projecting follower pins; said plungers having latch grooves positioned for alignment with said latch bars when said plungers are in said retracted positions; and said reset means comprises a slide plate reciprocably mounted within said housing for translation longitudinally thereof in overlying relation to said plungers, said slide plate having a plurality of inwardly slanted cam slots respectively engaged by said follower pins, and said cam slots having transversely enlarged portions at the ends thereof toward the closed end of said housing.

6. A merchandising container comprising a substantially rectangular box-like base housing of opaque plastic material having an open top and one open end, said housing having opposed longitudinally extending grooves in the interior surfaces of the side walls thereof, said housing having a plurality of longitudinally-spaced wells adjacent the side walls thereof extending vertically downward into said housing and intersecting said grooves, said housing having a horizontal support wall spaced intermediate said grooves and the base wall of said housing to define an enclosed region subjacent said support wall, a display compartment having integral top, end and side portions and a removable bottom wall, said top portion being arcuate and merging into said side portions, said compartment having laterally projecting longitudinally extending lips along the side wall portions thereof, said lips slidably disposed in said grooves and said bottom wall disposed upon said support wall with the arcuate top portion extending above the side walls of said housing, said lips having notches in registry with smd wells, said compartment being fabricated of transparent plastic material and including opaque masking means in the regions of said lips, a plurality of push-button plungers reciprocably mounted within said wells and movable between limited extended positions wherein the tops of the plungers project upwardly from the wells and limited retracted positions, a predetermined number of said plungers on both sides of said housing having grooves registerable with said grooves in the side wall of said housing when said plungers are in said retracted positions and the remaining ones of said plungers having grooves registerable with said grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plu-ngers are in said extended positions, said plungers having latch grooves positioned to be laterally adjacent said enclosed region subjacent said support wall when said plungers are in said retracted positions, means spring loading said plungers to said extended positions, a plurality of latch bars transversely disposed within said enclosed region subjacent said support wall and movable outwardly into said wells, said latch bars being spring-loaded transversely outward to resiliently abut the plungers in their extended positions and retentatively engage said latch grooves when the plungers are in their retracted positions, said latch bars respectively having upwardly projecting follower pins,

a slide plate mounted within said enclosed region subjacent said support wall in overlying relation to said latch bars, said slide plate having a tongue projecting longitudinally from said housing subjacent said support wall adjacent the open end of said housing, said slide plate being longitudinally movable between first and second positions wherein said tongue is respectively fully extended from said housing and partially retracted therein, said slide plate having a plurality of cam slots respectively receiving said follower pins, said slots slanting inwardly in the direction of said tongue, said slots having transversely inwardly extending enlarged portions at the ends thereof of greatest lateral displacement from the longitudinal centerline of the slide plate, said enlarged portions receiving said pins when said slide plate is in the first position thereof, and means spring loading said slide plate to said first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,244 Smith Oct. 24, 1893 1,488,820 Kimball Apr. 1, 1924 2,449,722 Saathotf Sept. 21, 1948 2,936,189 Pearson May 10, 1960

Claims (1)

1. A MERCHANDISING CONTAINER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BASE HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND AN OPEN END, A DISPLAY COMPARTMENT DISPOSED WITHIN THE OPEN TOP OF SAID HOUSING AND LONGITUDINALLY SLIDEABLE RELATIVE THERETO, SAID COMPARTMENT HAVING NOTCHED LATERAL PROJECTIONS ALONG ITS OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS SLIDEABLY RECEIVED IN LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING, AND A PLURALITY OF PLUNGERS RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING THROUGH THE NOTCHES IN SAID LATERAL PROJECTIONS OF SAID COMPARTMENT, SAID PLUNGERS BEING DEPRESSIBLE FROM EXTENDED POSITIONS WHEREIN THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF ARE EXTENDED FROM SAID HOUSING AND DEFINE PUSH BUTTONS TO RETRACTED POSITIONS WHEREIN THE PUSH BUTTONS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY RETRACTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A FIRST PLURALITY OF SAID PLUNGERS HAVING GROOVES REGISTRABLE WITH SAID GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING WHEN SAID PLUNGERS ARE IN THEIR RETRACTED POSITIONS, THE REMAINING PLURALITY OF SAID PLUNGERS HAVING GROOVES REGISTRABLE WITH SAID GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING WHEN SAID PLUNGERS ARE IN THEIR EXTENDED POSITIONS, WHEREBY UPON DEPRESSION OF SAID FIRST PLURALITY OF PLUNGERS TO THEIR RETRACTED POSITIONS WHILE THE REMAINING PLURALITY OF PLUNGERS ARE IN THEIR EXTENDED POSITIONS, THE GROOVES OF ALL PLUNGERS ARE IN REGISTRY WITH THE GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING AND LONGITUDINAL SLIDING OF SAID COMPARTMENT FROM SAID HOUSING IS UNOBSTRUCTED.

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