US2441326A - Cigarette case with flexible tongue - Google Patents

Description

May 1l, 1948. R. E. MUDD 2,441,326

CIGARETTE CASE WITH FLEXIBL TONGUE Filed March 26, 1945 am zg/m1@ A'ITD RN EYS Patented May 11,*.1948

rUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE CASE WITH FLEXIBLE TONGUE Rolla E. Mudd, Stronghurst, Ill.

Application March 26, 1945, Serial No. 584,909

1 Claim. 1

My present invention, in its broad aspect, has to do with improvements in `cigarette cases, and more particularly, it is my purpose to provide a flexible package holding tongue for use with cigarette cases having ordinary strap or bar hinge connections between the body and the lid whereby bending of a part of the hinge connection about the butt of my tongue will hold the tongue in operative connection with the case, and wherein the tongue is inherently flexible and operable to permit a pack of cigarettes to assume a convenient position for removal of the individual cigarettes, but which will not accidentally release the pack. My invention is characterized by extreme simplicity, sturdiness and practicability, and may be manufactured and sold at a relatively small price.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, but it is to be understood that changes in form,

size, shape, construction, materials, and arrange-4 ner to iit over the upper edge of the body when closed as in Figure 3, and ycooperating outstruck lips 3 and 4 are provided to latch the top in closed position so that pressure by the thumb or the like will disengage lips 3 and 4 to open the case, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

The hinge connections 5 and 6 between the top and body of the cigarette case are conventional strap or bar hinges, between which the edges of the case form webs I having a lip 8. The edges or webs are bent inwardly as at 9 for a part of their length as shown in Figures 2 and 7.

My tongue `for retaining cigarette packages includes a flexible part Ill extending about half the width of the cigarette case, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a butt II formed by bending the tongue downwardly and upwardly upon itself as at I2. The end of the butt is bent over to form an attaching ilange I3 and. the bight bement of parts may be made without departing from my broad inventive concept or the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with the cigarette case in open position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a transverse section with the cigarette case closed;

Figure 4 is a transverse section with the case partly open to remove a cigarette;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the attaching clip on the butt of my tongue;

Figure 7 is a perspective View of my tongue;

Figure 8 is a section through the cigarette case hinge showing my tongue connected thereto; and

Figure 9 is another section through the hinge.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like or similar parts throughout the several views:

The numeral I designates the body of my cigarette case which may be formed of -any suitable material, such for instance as thin metal, and Z is the top. The top is flanged in the usual mantween the butt and the flange is formed with a slot I4 to receive the lip 8; the lip 8 is bent over on the llange to hold the tongue in position with the butt bearing against the back wall I5 of the body I and the tongue extending out at a slight angle as shown in Figure 1.

In operation, a package of cigarettes A is inserted under the tongue after being partially or fully opened to dispense cigarettes. The tongue holds the package in place against accidental disengagement, but when the oase is partly opened and reversed with the top extending downwardly as shown in Figure 4 and shaken, the package takes a slight angular position to discharge one or more cigarettes B as required.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the oper-ation and advantages of my invention will be apparent, but it is again emphasized that interpretation of the scope of my invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

A cigarette case comprising a body portion having an upstanding peripheral flange, a top hingedly connected to the flange of said body portion, latch means on said body portion formed `to be exed to engage and disengage the same, a preformed flexible plate member detachably mounted on the flange, said mounting means being formed having one end of the plate bent upon itself to form an S-shaped clamp which '4 engages the flange of the body portion, the plate joining the S-shaped portion substantially in the UNITED STATES PATENTS plane of the free edge of the flange and normally Number Name Date extending outwardly at an angle thereto and 872,162 WeSSenthanner NOV- 26, 1907 adapted to be engaged by said top when said top 5 1,235,572 Karp Aug. 7, 1917 is in closed position to be moved into parallel 1,536,570 Denny May 5, 1925 relation with said body portion.

ROI-ILA E. MUDD FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED 10 402,659 Great Britain DBC. '7, 1933 The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

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