US3167106A - Folding pocketbooks - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26, 1965 E. s'rlENss ETAL 3,157,106

FOLDING POCKETBOOKS Filed April 12, 1963 United States Patent Ofiice 35,167,106 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 3,167,166 FQLDENG PUCKE'EBGGKEE Edward Stienss and Eiizabeth Stienss, both of 247 Webster Ave, .lersey (fity, Nut. Filed Apr. 12., 1963, See. No, 272,725 1 Elaine. 153 m?) The present invention relates to improvements in ladies handbags or pocketbooks or the like and, more specifically, it relates to a bag or pocketbook which can be closed by folding portions thereof in a certain manner, which will be described hereinafter.

One object of the present invention is provision of a device of the character described which, wien closed, has an attractive, practical shape, but when opened has a different shape which, however, greatly facilitates the access to the interior of the bag, the mouth of the open bag being not obstructed partially by hinges or frame men bets or the like.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which does not require any heavy or mechanically complicated elements for safely closing the bag and for reliably keeping it closed, and which can be opened and closed easily and quickly even by a person wearin gloves, so that our new and improved folding pocketbook is well adapted not only for ornamental purposes and for ordinary use during warm seasons, but also for use during cold weather, for use by skiers or persons otherwise required to wear gloves.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which can be made of leather, fabric material, plastic material, or of any suitable other substance, which itself is of a very pleasing outer appearance and also has a sufficient surface space for providing it with decorative designs or ornamentations.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has simple closure means that consist of only a few inexpensive parts which can be assembled easily and quickly at low cost, but which also is sturdy, durable and well adapted for the rough usage to which articles of this type ordinarily are subjected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, with which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of parts of the embodiment disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing we have set forth an illustration of an embodiment of our invention.

In said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of our invention as it appears when closed;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation like FIG. 1, showing one of the closure elements in a position which differs from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the open pocketbook; and,

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the open pocketbook.

In the drawing the numeral 1 denotes a bag of pliable or foldable material consisting of a pair of substantially rectangular or square panel members 2 and 3, three edge portions 4, 5 and 7 of which are joined to each other by means of stitching or plastic welding or pasting or the like, while the top edge portions 10 are left disconnected to form'a mouth that extends over the entire width of the bag 1. Upper corner portions of the panels 2 and 3 are foldable along folding lines 11 and 12 (FIG.

4), so that after said corner portions have been folded upon the panel 3, the bag changes its form and shape from that shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

While any suitable means can be used for keeping the corner portions in the folded positions of FIGS. 1 and 3, in which position the bag is closed, we prefer to carry out this feature of our invention in the manner shown in the drawing, where it will be seen that wire guide members l5 and 17 are secured to the disconnected top edge portions iii of the panel 2, and that a first ring member 2b is slidable in both of said guide members and 17. A hand piece 21, or any other suitable handle member, is attached to the ring member 20, and the socket portion 22 of a snap fastener preferably is provided on the hand piece 21 and is adapted for engaging a snap fastener ball portion 23 on the panel 3.

A second ring member 24 also is slidable in both guide members 15 and 17, and a carrying strap 25 is secured to the ring member 24.

For closing our new and improved folding pocketbook, all that is necessary is to fold the upper corner portions of the panels 2 and 3 along the lines 11 and 12 from the position shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 3, to pull the member 21 down along the members 15 and 17 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in PEG. 1, and to press the snap fastener socket portion 22 upon the ball portion 23. Thereupon, the pocket-book is safely closed and can be carried on the member 25. In order to open the pocketbook, the member 21 is pulled, after disengaging the snap fastener portions 22 and 23, upwards from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 3, and the aforementioned corner portions of the panels 2 and 3 are unfolded, so that they are in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5..

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

A device of the character described comprising a pair of panels joined to each other on lateral and lower edge portions and having upper edge portions that are disconnected from each other and said panels having upper corner portions extending from the half-way point of each upper edge portion to the lateral edge portions, a pair of guide members provided end to end on the upper edge portion of one of said panels, a first ring member slidably engaging said guide members being adapted for maintaining the upper corner portions of the panels in position after the corner portions have been folded upon one of said panels, fastening means attached to said first ring member and to one of said panels for holding said first ring member in position, a second ring member engaging said guide members, and a carrying strap attached to said second ring member.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lewis Aug. 6, 19 .9

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