US2191557A - Container - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 27, 1940.

M. H. CLINE 2,191,557A

CNTAINER Filed Jan. 26. 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fab. 27, Y1940. M. H. CLINE 2,191,557

ruud Jan. 2s, 1959 esmas-sneer 2 Patented Feb; 27, 1940 .UNITED STATES CONTAINER Melvin' n. oline, chicago, nl., mignon to Eneman-Kaye Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application Januaryv 26, 1939, Serial.No. 253,016

2 Claims.

My invention relates more particularly to containers, such as for example toilet cases, having hinged covers.

My primary object is to provide a construc- 5 tion of container of the character above stated,

' the cover of which in closed condition opposes the action of means tending to swing it to open condition, whereby when the cover is released it automatically swings to open position. K

10 Another object is to provide a novel, simple and economical construction functioning as above stated; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

1I Figure 1 is a rear View in elevation of a toilet case of the type involving zipper means for holding the cover in closed condition, the case embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in sectional elevai tion of the case of Fig. l, the section being taken at the line 2-2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a plan sectional view of the case showing the zipper released and the cover in 26 open condition, this view being taken at the line 3 3 on Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. y

Figure 4 is afragmentary sectional view taken at the line 4--4 on Fig. 3 andyiewed in the a()v direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of another form of toilet case embodying my invention, the cover of the case being shown as secured in closed condition.

l Figure 6 is a view like Fig. 5 and of the structure therein shown illustrating the cover in open condition.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at the line 1-1 on Fig. 6 and viewed in the direc- 40' tion of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a plan view of still another construction of case embodying my invention, the cover, therein shown as formed of a pair of sections, being in closed condition; and Figure 9, a fragmentary section taken at the line 9--9 on Fig. A8 and viewed in the direction of the arrows, the cover sections being shown by dotted lines in open condition.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 5 1-4, inclusive, the case therein illustrated is, as

to its general lfeatures. of construction, of a common type. It'involves a body portion III shown as formed of flexible sheet material, as for example leather with a bottom plate reinforcel ment II. The case also comprises a cover portion I2 likewise shown as formed of exible sheet material, as for example leather, with a plate reinforcement. I3 at its top, the exible material of the cover portion depending around its four sides and forming a skirt portion I4.

The cover portion I2 is connected along one side of the case with the body portion Il) by flexible sheet material. In the particular construction shown, by a flap Illa of flexible sheet material lextending upwardly from the body por- 10 tion Ill and connected with the cover portionand also by a iiap I5 provided on the upper edge of the lining of the body portion and secured to the inside of the cover portion.

Closure means are provided for releasably holding 'the cover portion I2 in closed position on the body portion I0, these means being shown as comprising a zipper fastening means I6 as commonly provided in structures of this kind and extending from one end of the side of the body portion l0 20 at which the cover portion I2 is hinged thereto around the case to the other end of said side.

The upper surrounding edge of the body portion I0, at a point below the zipper I6 is provided with an endless reinforcing frame I'I, pref- 25 erably of stiff wire, concealed within the sheet material forming the sides oi the body portion as shown.

The cover portion I2 at the edge thereof at which it is hingedly connected with the body por- 30 tion I0, is reinforced by an angle shaped member represented generally at I8. The portion I9 of this member is concealed within the skirt portion I4 and extends parallel with it and at its lower edge closely adjacent the frame I'I. The other 35 portion of the member I8 lies beneath the top of the cover. The member I8 is made of any desired suitably stiif material, asvfor example fiber board, and is shown as formed with a separatel plate section 2| secured iiatwise to the portion 40 I9.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the longitudinal axis of the hinge connection be|\ tween the cover portion I2 and the body portion I0 is adjacent the side of the reinforcing frame 45 II at the back side of the case.

'I'he case also comprises spring means operating when the zipper I6 is released, to cause the cover portion vI2.to automatically swing to open position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The particu- 50 lar spring means shown comprise two coil springs 22 loosely surrounding the side member of the reinforcing frame I1 at the backedge of the case and each rigidly secured thereto at one end as represented at 23. 'Ihe convolution of each spring at its other end terminates in a substantially straight laterally projecting extension 24 which bears against the portion I9'of the reinforcement I8 and under the tension of these springs forces' the cover to the' open position shown, the extensions 24 of the springs being shown as located between the portions I9 and 2l of the reinforce ment I8.

As will be understood from the foregoing, the swinging of the cover portion I2 to closed position so tensions the springs 22 that when the. cover is released, the springs will automatically swing the cover to open position. l

As will be noted, the extensions 24 of the springs shorten as the cover is swung toward closed position and lengthen as the cover is swung in the opposite direction, due to the winding and unwinding, respectively, of these extensions of the springs around the side of the reinforcing frame I1 on which they are supported. Thus these extensions of the springs cannot be rigidly fastened to the cover portion I2 without objection which is avoided in accordance with my invention by providing for relative movement between the extensions 24 of the springs and the cover por- .tion I2. This -is provided for preferably by forming guides in which the spring extensions may slide, these guides, in the particular construction shown being formed by providing cross grooves 25 between the portions I9 and 2| of the reinforcing member 20 as for example by bending the member 25 crosswise thereof at the places Where these grooves are to be provided.

Referring to the construction of case shown in Figs. 5-7, this case as to its'general features of construction is of a common type comprising a body portion 26 having a reinforcing frame 21, as for example of stiff wire, at its upper portion, this frame being shown as concealed 'within the flexible sheet material forming the side walls of the body portion.

The case also comprises a cover portion represented at 28 hinged at an edge thereof, to the back edge of the body portion .26, as by means ,of flexible sheet material 29 shown as in the form of a ap on the cover portion 28 and secured to the body portion 26. At the front side of the body portion 26 is a flap 38 of lflexible material shown as provided with the socket portion 3| of. a ball and socket fastener, the ball portion of which represented at 32 is carried by the cover portion 28, these parts serving as means for releasably securing the cover portion 28 in closed position.

The case also comprises spring means operating when the fastener device -32 is released,

to cause the cover portion 28 to automatically swing to open position as shown in Fig. 6. 'Ihe particular spring means shown comprise a coil spring 33 loosely surrounding the side member of the reinforcing frame 21 at the back edge of the case and rigidly secured thereto at one end as represented at 34. The convolution of the vspring 33 at its other end terminates in a substantially straight laterally extending projection 35 which engages the cover portion 28 and under` the tension of this spring forces the cover portion to the open position shown. The extension 35 of the spring is shown as located between atwise opposed sheet- like members 36 and 31 at the interior of. the cover portion 28, these members in the particular construction shown being of fairly stiif material, such as for example cardboard,.to afford to the cover the desired stiff- IleSS.v

As the extension 35 of the spring shortens and lengthens as the cover is swung to closed and open position, respectively, provision is made for relative movement between the cover portion 28 and the extension 35, by forming a groove 38 between the sheet members 36 and 31 in which the extension 35 is slidingly guided.

The case is shown as provided with a check strap 39 connected at its opposite endsI with the body portion 26 and the cover portion 28 to positively prevent the swinging of the cover beyond a certain position under the action of the spring.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown my invention as applied to a case having a body portion 40 such as that shown in Figs. 5-7, with a cover portion formed of two separate sections 4I hinged to opposite edges of the body portion 4 0' as for example as explained of the construction shown in Figs. 5-7, their inner edges substantially meeting, at which edges they are shown as equipped with means holding them in closed position shown as in the form of a zipper 42.

The cover sections 4I are thus adapted to be swung upwardly and outwardly, to the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 9, to open the case.

In this construction the body portion 40 is provided with a reinforcing frame 43 at its upper edge and corresponding withv Athe reinforcing frame 21, and each of the cover sections 4I is provided with spring means for automatically swinging it to open position when the zipper 42 is re1eased. The spring means shown are the same as those providedl in the construction of Figs. 5-7, but in this particular construction two springs, represented at 44, for each cover section and having lateral substantially straight extensions 45 are provided, whereas only one spring is shown for the single cover section of Figs. 5-7.

It will be understood that the matter of the number of the springs employed is of no particular moment. In the constructions shown in Figs.

14 and 8 and 9 two springs are employed for.

each swinging member, whereas in the construction shown in Figs. 5-7 but one spring is shown, but it will be understood that if desired a single spring may be used in place of the double springs of the first two referred to constructions, and two springs may be used instead of. the single spring of the other construction; or if desired, more than two springs may be employed for each swinging member.

' While I have illustrated and described certain particular constructions constituting embodiments of my invention, I .do not wish to be understood as intending to limit the invention thereto as the structures shown may be variously modied and altered and the invention embodied in other forms of structure without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A container comprising, in combination: a body portion comprising a flexible side member and a rigid bottom member secured to one edge of said side member; a rigid, continuous, wire frame carried in a pocket at the open edge of said side member; a coiled spring surrounding and secured at one end to the wire of said frame; a cover member hinged to said body member and formed with a rigid portion; the remaining end of said coiled spring extending to uncoiled position and held in sliding engagement with said rigid portion; said spring placed in coiling compression by closure of said cover about its hinge; external and internal portions of theside mem- 9,191,557 f il 3 with said rigid bottom memberand with a ange extending normal thereto to reinforce the hinged ber extending and secured to said cover member to form portions of the hinge; and means 'to hold the cover closed against action of said spring tendlng'to open the same.

2. A container comprising, in combination: a. body portion comprising a iiexible side member and a rigid bottom member secured to one edge of said side member; a rigid, continuous, wire frame carried in a pocket at the open edge of said aide member; a coiled spring surrounding and secured at one end to the wire of said frame; a. cover member hinged to said body member and formed with a rigid portion extending parallel portion; the remaining end oi' said coiled spring extending to uncoiled position and held in sliding engagement with said rigid cover flange; said 5 spring placed-inv coiling compression by closure of said cover about its hinge; external and internal portions of the side member extending'and secured to said cover member to form portions of the hinge; and means to hold the cover closed m againstaction of said spring tending to open the same.

MELVIN H. CLINE.

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