US3301294A

US3301294A - Devices and methods for handbag handle attachment

Info

Publication number: US3301294A
Application number: US442990A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel I Reiter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-03-26
Filing date: 1965-03-26
Publication date: 1967-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-31

Description

Jan. 31, 1967 D. 1. REITER 3,301,294

DEVICES AND METHODS FOR HANDBAG HANDLE ATTACHMENT Filed March 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

INVENTOR DANIEL l. REITER BY Shapiro and Ska 0&0

ATTORNEYS Jan. 31, 1967 D. 1. REITER 3,301,294

DEVICES AND METHODS FDR HANDBAG HANDLE ATTACHMENT Filed March 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FIG. 10 DANIEL l. REITER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,301,294 DEVICES AND METHODS FOR HANDBAG HANDLE ATTACHMENT Daniel I. Reiter, 868 6th Ave., New York, N.Y. 10001 Filed Mar. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 442,990 15 Claims. (Cl. 15033) This invention relates to handles for handbags or the like and more particularly to devices and methods for providing handbag handle attachments.

Applicants prior patents, Nos. 2,978,766, issued April 11, 1961, and 3,039,506, issued June 19, 1962, are concerned with attachment devices for handles having a tubular core of plastic, for example. Applicants Patent No. 2,912,029, issued November 10, 1959, is concerned with attachment devices for a flat handle in which the handle has a pre-fonned loop at each end for receiving an attachment ring.

The present invention is especially concerned with the attachment of flat handles which may be formed from continuous handle stock without the necessity for providing pre-formed loops at the ends of the handle.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide improved handles and handle attachments.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved methods of making handles and handle attachments.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved handle attachment devices of extreme simplicity and economy.

Briefly stated, but without limitation, the present invention employs fiat handles of the type having elongated envelopes open at each end. Into each end is longitudinally inserted an elongated, flat strip of stiff, bendable material, which serves as a reinforcement for the end of the handle and also as the basis for the handle attachment. The strip has a pre-formed bent end which abuts the end of the envelope, so as to determine automatically the extent of insertion. After insertion of the strip, the bent end is bent back upon the envelope, so as to embrace the envelope end. Then the bight of a U-shaped ring is placed transversely against the envelope, and the envelope and the strip are conjointly bent back over the bight of the ring to form a loop embracing the ring. A similar bending step locks the ring in place. The ends of the ring may be inserted into corresponding ends of a tube fixed to a handbag frame, thereby to secure the handle end to the frame.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages and features of the invention, and the manner in which the same "are accomplished, will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the attachment of one end of a handbag handle tothe handbag frame;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating one form of attachment strip of the invention;

FIGURE 2A is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modification of the leading end of the strip;

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary perspective views illustrating steps in the formation of the handle attachment using the strip of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 6, 7, 9 and 10 are fragmentary perspective views illustrating alternative embodiments of the trailing strip end shown in its pre-formed bent configuration; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modified trailing end prior to pre-forming the bend.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGURE 1 thereof, a handbag 10 in accordance with conventional practice has a frame 12, usually metal, with a transverse sleeve 14 at each end thereof (only one end being shown). Opposite ends of the sleeve receive corresponding opposed ends of a generally U-shaped ring 16, the bight of which, in accordance with the invention, is embraced by a loop at the end of the handle 18. The handle is an elongated, generally flat envelope of plastic or leather material, for example. It may be formed by superimposing a pair of flat sheaths of material, each of which has two layers, and by stitching the sheaths together along their edges. It may also be formed by longitudinally folding a single sheet, turning in the edges opposite the fold, and stitching the edges. It is common practice to employ a filler, which may be of cardboard, for example.

FIGURE 2 illustrates one form of reinforcing attachment device in accordance with the invention. This de vice comprises an elongated flat strip 20 of stiff, bendable material, such as metal. One end of the strip (the leading end) may be formed with an arrowhead 22, while the other end of the strip (the trailing end) has a pre-formed lip 24 angulated transversely from the body of the strip. The extremity of the lip is preferably pointed, as by bevelling at 26.

In the formation of a handle attachment in accordance with the invention, as shown in FIGURE 3, leading end 22 of the strip 20 is inserted into the envelope between two .of the envelope layers, for example, between the layers of a sheath 28, between the sheaths, or between a sheath layer and the filler 30 contained in one of the sheaths. The strip is inserted until the lip 24 abuts the corresponding end of the envelope, and then the lip is bent back upon the envelope so as to embrace the end of the envelope. Preferably the edge 26 is forced to bite into the envelope material, as by striking the lip with a hammer. Next the bight of the U-shaped ring 16 is placed transversely against one side of the envelope at a position about a quarter of an inch back from the end of the envelope, and then the envelope and the strip are conjointly bent back over the bight of the ring, as shown in FIGURE 4, so as to embrace the bight of the ring and form a loop. To secure the ring in position this bending step is executed a second time as shown in FIGURE 5. One of the envelope sheaths may be cut back as shown in FIG URE 3 to reduce the thickness of the rolled portions of the handle. The opposed ends of the ring may now be spread temporarily and inserted within a sleeve 14 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The handle attachment is thus provided simply, economically, quickly, and reliably. Strip 20 reinforces the end of the handle and maintains the loop configuration for retaining the ring. Since the strip extends into the handle envelope only a relatively short distance (e.g., approximately 2 inches) adjacent to the end, it does not interfere with the flexibility of the remainder and major portion of the handle.

The tapered or arrowhead configuration at the leading end of the strip tends to facilitate insertion of the strip into the envelope. It will be noted that the strip may be substantially narrower than the envelope. If desired, the arrowhead may have a pointed tip 31, as shown in FIG- URE 2A, angulated transversely to the body of the strip. The pointed tip bites into the material of the envelope after the strip is inserted to the desired extent and serves to maintain the position of the strip during the bending operations.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a strip 32 with a modified lip configuration 34. In this embodiment the extremity of 0 the lip is serrated as shown at 36, and the teeth of the serrations bite into the envelope material when the lip is forced back upon the envelope as shown in FIGURE 3.

3 The teeth may be slightly down-turned like the bevel of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a modified strip 38 having its lip end 40 widerthan the body of the strip. The lip hasa serrated extremity 42. FIGURES 8-10 show other embodiments with a wider lip end although the same configurations can be used without the extra width. In

FIGURE the strip 44- has a Wide end 46 with the lip 48 having a plain edge. The versions of FIGURES 8 and 9 have bifurcated ends. In FIGURE 8 the strip 50 has a wide end 52 with bifurcations 54 provided with pointed teeth 56. FIGURE 9 illustrates a similar version in which the strip 58 has a wide end 60' with bifurcations'62, the end being shown already reversely bent to form the lip and the bifurcations lacking the teeth 56 of the embodiment of FIGURE '8.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made without departing from'the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims. For example, the strip and the envelope could be conjointly bent about the bight of a ring in the same direction as the pre-formed lip, rather than oppositely as in FIGURE 4. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are to be considered illustrative, rather than restrictive of the invention, and those modifications which come within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are to be included therein.

The invention claimed is:

1. A handle for a handbag or the like, comprising an elongated, flat envelope with an open end, and an elongated, flat strip or stiff, bendable material extending longitudinally into said open end a short distance, said envelope and said strip being conjointly rolled upon themselves adjacent to said end to form a loop, said strip having one end extending from the open end of said envelope and turned back upon said envelope to embrace the end of said envelope.

2. The handle of claim 1, there being a ring having a portion embraced by said loop.

3. The handle of claim 2', said ring being generally U- shaped with a bight embraced by said loop and with opposed, spaced ends.

4. The handle of claim 1, said strip having an end inside said envelope, in the shape of an arrowhead.

5. The handle of claim 4, said arrowhead having a pointed tip angulated transversely to the body of said strip and biting into the material of said envelope.

6. The handle of claim 1, said end of said strip having a pointed extremity biting into the material of said envelope.

7. The handle of claim 6, said pointed extremity being bevelled.

8. The handle of claim 6, said pointed extremity being serrated.

9. The handle of claim 1, said one end being wider than the adjacent portion of said strip.

10. The handle of claim 1, said one end being bifurcated.

11. The handle of claim 1, said envelope having a flat filler of flexible material therein.

12. A method of providing a handle envelope with a reinforcing attachment which comprises inserting longitudinally into one end of said envelope an elongated, flat strip of stiff, bendable material with an end left projecting from said end of said envelope, bending said pr0- jecting end back upon said envelope to embrace the end of the envelope, and conjointly bending the strip and the envelope back upon themselves to form a loop.

13. The method of claim 12, in which a ring is placed upon one side of said envelope with an element thereof extending transversely of the envelope, and in which the strip and the envelope are bent back upon themselves about said element so as to embrace it.

14. A method of providing a handle envelope with a reinforcing attachment, comprising inserting longitudinally into one end of said envelope an elongated, flat strip of stiff, bendable material with an end bent transversely therefrom until the end of the strip abuts the end of the envelope, bending said one end of said strip back upon said envelope so as to embrace the end of said envelope, and then conjointly bending the strip and envelope back upon themselves to form a loop.

15. A method of providing a reinforcing attachment device for a handle envelope having a pair of elongated layers, one of which has a projection beyond the other at an end of the envelope, which comprises inserting longitudinally into said end of said envelope an elongated, flat strip of still, bendable material with a portion left overlapping said projection, placing a ring upon the overlapped portion of said strip and said layer projection with an element of the ring extending transversely of the envelope, and bending said layer projection and said strip portion conjointly back upon themselves twice and around said ring element to form a loop embracing said ring element adjacent to the end of said other layer at said end of the envelope.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,600,970 9/1926 Bosoa 1SO --33 2,978,776 4/1961 Reiter 33 X FOREIGN PATENTS 827,884 2/ 193 8 France. 198,939 6/ 1923 Great Britain.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.