US3318311A

US3318311A - Card holder

Info

Publication number: US3318311A
Application number: US493451A
Authority: US
Inventors: John T Gressette; Fillmore G Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-06
Filing date: 1965-10-06
Publication date: 1967-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-09

Description

MayQ, 1967 J gngss T ET AL 3,3E33H CARD HOLDER Filed Oct, 6, 1965 lNvENT'oRs, v-JoHNTpGREsfiETTE FILLMORE G.WILSON ATTORifiEY United States Patent 3,318,311 CARD HOLDER John T. Gressette, 402 Shannon Drive 29607, and Fillrnore G. Wilson, 522 Cleveland St. 29601, both of Greenville, S.C.

Filed Oct. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 493,451 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-18) This invention relates to a pocket-type card holder, and is directed particularly to a card holder in which the cards can be readily removed.

It is customary for a person to carry many credit cards, licenses, photographs, and similar identification papers on him at all times. These cards and papers when carried in a wallet add considerable size to the wallet, as well as making it difiicult to locate the needed card. Heretofore, wallets have been provided with transparent folding inserts for accommodating the cards. However, as previously mentioned, they add considerable size to the wallet and it is sometimes difficult to insert and remove the cards from the inserts. Moreover, the series of inserts must be refolded each time a card is used. When the cards are loosely placed in a single compartment of the wallet, it is troublesome to locate the desired card.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, attractive, and inexpensive card holder for accommodating credit cards and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a card holder that can be carried in the pocket and the cards can be readily removed and replaced in the holder.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a substantially flat compact card holder constructed to hold various cards, photographs, or the like, in an orderly and compact arrangement while permitting ready removal and return of any individual card.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a holder for cards which permits the cards to be pivoted from the holder for aiding in locating any individual card.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a card holder constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a card which can be accommodated by the card holder of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is aperspective view illustrating a different type card holder, but constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal elevational view of the card holder illustrated in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal elevational view of the card holder illustrated in FIGURE 3 with cards carried thereby, and

FIGURE 6 is a reduced perspective view illustrating a different type card holder, but constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The drawing illustrates a holder for cards including a base support member. A vertically spaced upper support member is disposed above and in alignment with the base support member. A vertical post A extends between the support members. Each of the cards B has an aperture C therein of predetermined size adjacent but spaced from a marginal portion thereof. A slot D having ICC a transverse dimension less than a transverse dimension of said aperture joins the aperture and extends to the adjacent margin of each of the cards. The post A has a cross-sectional dimension in one direction SlllTlClGIlll to fit through the slot and a length dimension in another direction larger than said slot but receivable in the aperture. The post A is accessible for accommodating a card. When the post is slipped through the slot D of the card into the aperture C the card can be turned about the post to a position placing the cross-sectional dimension of the post in a direction opposite the transverse dimension of the slot. Thus, a plurality of cards may be placed individually or as a group upon the holder and turned to a position where such cards are confined on the post but removable therefrom individually or as a group by turning same to a position wherein the post may be received within the slot.

FIGURE 1 of the drawing illustrates a card holder constructed in accordance with the present invention. The holder comprises a rectangular base support member 10 having a vertical rear wall 11 connected to one side. A vertically spaced upper support member 12 is disposed above and in alignment with the base support member 10. The upper support member 12 is attached to the free-edge of the rear wall 11 forming a channel shaped structure. The entire channel shaped structure can be formed of a single piece of material, such as metal or plastic.

A Vertical post A extends between the base support member 10 and the upper support member 12. The post A is substantially prolate shaped and has a crosssectional dimension which is smaller than the length dimension. The post A is attached to the base support member 10 and the upper support member 12 by welding or any other suitable means. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1, the length dimension of the post A is perpendicular to the rear Wall 11. Cards B, which are to be placed in the holder, are provided with an aperture C and a slot D joining the aperture and extending to the adjacent margin of the card. The aperture C is spaced from a marginal edge of the card and is of sufficient size to accommodate the vertical post A. The slot D has a transverse dimension which is less than the transverse dimension of the aperture and the length dimension of the post A, but is greater than the crosssectional dimension of the post A. While the post is shown as prolate or rectangular shaped, it is to be noted that an elliptical shaped post could be used.

The post A is spaced away from the rear wall 11 of the channel shaped member for accommodating a card. In order to insert a card in the holder, the slot in the card is positioned adjacent to the post A so that length dimension of the post A is parallel to the slot A. Such a position of the card B is illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 1. The post A is slipped through the slot D into the aperture C of the card. The card is rotated degrees to confine the credit card on the post. When it is desired to remove a particular card, the card is turned back and simply slipped off the post A. It is noted that in trying to locate a particular card in a stack carried by the holder, the cards can be turned about the post A.

The holder is provided with a cover 14 to protect the cards. The cover 14 has a bottom portion 15 which is attached to the underside of the base support member 11) by brads or any other suitable means.

Vertical side portions

16 and 17 are integral with opposite sides of the bottom portion 14. The vertical side portion 16 terminates in an inner flap 18 which folds over the upper support member 12. The vertical side portion 17 terminates in an outer flap 19 which folds over the inner flap 18 to enclose the holder. The inner flap 18 has a male portion 20 of a snap which cooperates with a female portion 21 of a snap carried on the outer flap 19 to hold the flaps adjacent the upper support member 12.

Credit cards and papers of any type may be accommodated by the card holder as long as they have an aperture and connecting slot punched adjacent one edge. The aperture and slot should be punched close enough to one corner of the card to permit the card to be turned on the post without striking the rear wall 11 of the channel.

While the construction shown and described in FIG- URES 1 and 2 of the drawing is preferred, the invention may be embodied in numerous other forms and types of assemblies as exemplified by FIGURES 3 through 5. As

illustrated in FIGURE 3, the holder is constructed of U-shaped member 22 having an upper support portion 23 and a base support portion 24. The member 22 in the preferred embodiment is constructed of metal and the upper support portion 23 is resiliently biased downward toward the base support portion 24. A vertical post A is integral with the base support portion 24 and extends through an aperture 25 in the upper support portion 23. The aperture 25 permits the upper support portion 23to ride up and down on the post A as the cards are removed and reinserted. The post A has a horizontal stop member 26 attached to its top which is larger than the structure 25 in the upper support portion 23. The stop member 26 locks the upper support member about the post A. Cards B, such as the one illustrated in FIGURE 2, are inserted on the post A between the upper support member 23 and the base support 24. The resiliency of the upper support member 23 maintains the cards in a compact stack. The upper support member 23 has a raised tapering member 27 attached to its upper surface. The member 27 tapers upwardly from the end of the upper support member 23 which joins the lower support member to the free-end. The tapering member 27 has a slot 28 therein for accommodating the post A and stopmember 26. The tapering member 27 encloses the post A and stop member 26 providing a fiat surface so that such will not catch on a pocket lining or the like when carried therein. The cards are inserted on the post A of the device, illustrated in FIGURES 3 through in the same manner .as described with reference to the structure of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 illustrates another modified form of the invention. The post A in the device illustrated in FIGURE 6 is arcuately shaped. The card B has an arcuately shaped slot 29 adjacent one side. The slot 29 in the card is the substantial complement of the post. However, it is slightly larger so that the post Acan acommodate .it. The post A is disposed within a U-shaped structure comprising an upper'support member 30 and been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A holder for cards including: a base support member; a vertically spaced upper support member in alignment with said base support member; said support members forming legs of a substantially U-shaped bracket resiliently biased toward one another; a vertical post fixed to one of said legs and extending toward said other leg; means associated with said post for limiting the movement of one of said legs away from the other; said means including an opening in said other leg receiving the post and an abutment on the free end of said post for limiting the movement of said other leg away from said one leg, means positioned on said other leg defining an opening for receiving the abutment for protectively encompassing the same; said cards each having an aperture therein of predetermined size adjacent but spaced from a marginal portion thereof, and a slot having a transverse dimension less than a transverse dimension of said aperture joining said aperture and extending to the adjacent margin of each of said cards; said post having one dimension sufiicient to pass through the slot and a second dimension larger than said slot but receivable in said aperture; said post being accessible for accommodating a card when the post is passed through the slot and when the post is received within the aperture permitting turning of the card when the post is reecived within the aperture to a position placing said one dimension of said post in another direction opposite the trans verse dimension of the slot, whereby a plurality of cards may be placed individually or as a group upon the holder and turned to a position where suchcards are confined on the post but removable therefrom individually or as a group by turning same to a position wherein the post may be received within the slot.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the last recited means comprises a totally aligned tapered member secured to said other leg with its thickest dimension adjacent the abutment for encompassing the same in any position of said other leg with respect to said one leg.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,500,612 7/1924 Gilkey 129-5 1,528,040 3/1935 Wood 12918 X 2,145,002 1/1939 Wolford 12918 2,399,376 4/1946 OHara 12918 FOREIGN PATENTS 354,013 5/ 1922 Germany. 1,135,293 8/1962 Germany.

2,349 1898 Great Britain. 335,777 10/ 1930 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A HOLDER FOR CARDS INCLUDING: A BASE SUPPORT MEMBER; A VERTICALLY SPACED UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID BASE SUPPORT MEMBER; SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS FORMING LEGS OF A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BRACKET RESILIENTLY BIASED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER; A VERTICAL POST FIXED TO ONE OF SAID LEGS AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OTHER LEG; MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID POST FOR LIMITING THE MOVEMENT OF ONE OF SAID LEGS AWAY FROM THE OTHER; SAID MEANS INCLUDING AN OPENING IN SAID OTHER LEG RECEIVING THE POST AND AN ABUTMENT ON THE FREE END OF SAID POST FOR LIMITING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID OTHER LEG AWAY FROM SAID ONE LEG, MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID OTHER LEG DEFINING AN OPENING FOR RECEIVING THE ABUTMENT FOR PROTECTIVELY ENCOMPASSING THE SAME; SAID CARDS EACH HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN OF PREDETERMINED SIZE ADJACENT BUT SPACED FROM A MARGINAL PORTION THEREOF, AND A SLOT HAVING A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION LESS THAN A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF SAID APERTURE JOINING SAID APERTURE AND EXTENDING TO THE ADJACENT MARGIN OF EACH OF SAID CARDS; SAID POST HAVING ONE DIMENSION SUFFICIENT TO PASS THROUGH THE SLOT AND A SECOND DIMENSION LARGER THAN SAID SLOT BUT RECEIVABLE IN SAID APERTURE; SAID POST BEING ACCESSIBLE FOR ACCOMMODATING A CARD WHEN THE POST IS PASSED THROUGH THE SLOT AND WHEN THE POST IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE APERTURE PERMITTING TURNING OF THE CARD WHEN THE POST IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE APERTURE TO A POSITION PLACING SAID ONE DIMENSION OF SAID POST IN ANOTHER DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE SLOT, WHEREBY A PLURALITY OF CARDS MAY BE PLACED INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP UPON THE HOLDER AND TURNED TO A POSITION WHERE SUCH CARDS ARE CONFINED ON THE POST BUT REMOVABLE THEREFROM INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP BY TURNING SAME TO A POSITION WHEREIN THE POST MAY BE RECEIVED WITHIN THE SLOT.