US2489364A - Flexible pocket receptacle - Google Patents

Description

g NW. 1949 D. J. BROUGHTON 2,489,364

/' FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE Filed June 11; 1945 5 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1949 DJ. BROUGHTON FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1945 l N V E N To R Java/4s [flaw/mm M ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1949 D. J. BROUGHTON FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE 5. Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 11, 1945 INVENTOR *K ATTOR YS NOV. 29, 1949 BRQUGHTQN 2,489,364

FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE I Filed June 11, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR A TORNEYS Nov. 29, 1949 D. J. BROUGHTON FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE 5 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 Filed June 11. 1945 Emu, ma m 6 m J Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE Douglas J. Broughton, Springfield, Mass., assignor to Buxton, Incorporated, Springfield, Mass.,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 11, 1945, Serial No. 598,835

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved construction for flexible pocket receptacles such as billfolds.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an arrangement by which the various parts and elements making up the receptacle are locked together in an improved manner and, if desired without the aid of stitching;

A further object is to provide such a locking means which at the same time will provide closure elements for the receptacle as a whole or for individual compartments of the receptacle or for both. i

'A further object is to provide a locking means of the above character which shall have a general application'in a wide range of billfold constructions;

Other and further objects and advantages residing in details of the construction will be made apparent in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention embodied in billfold constructions:

Fig. 1 is a generally perspective view of a billfold, in open position, constructed according to my invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a formed'blank from which the'billfold of Figure 1 is folded up;

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views, similar to Fig. 2, showing successive folding steps;

Fig. 6 is side edge view showing the billfold closed;

Figs. '7 and 8 show alternative ways of incorporating the bridging member in the billfold;

Fig.9 is a generally perspective view, parts being broken away, showing the interlock arranged to provide a plurality of closures;

Fig. 10 is a generally perspective View showing a modified form of the interlock;

Fig. 11 is a side edge view of an alternative arrangement for closing the billfold;

Fig. 12 is a generally perspective'view showing a modified construction in which the interlock is employed atone end of the billfold to provide both means for closing and holding a removable pass case in the billfold, and to close th billfold, the other end of the billfold being constructed in a'conventional manner;

Fig. 13 is-a similar view showing the closure flap forthe passv case carried by the pass case itself;-

Figs. 14,-15; and 16 'are fragmentary views showing a different location of the front wall locking tongue; and

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary view showing a modifled relative arrangement of ill? loqking tongues.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the receptacle is shown as comprising a rear wall I, spaced front wall panels 2 and 3 extending from the bottom edge of the rear wall, flap members 4 and 5 extending res ectively from the edges of panels 2 and 3 opposite the edges of the latter which are connected to the rear wall. inner wall members 6 and 1 extending from the ends of rear wall I and inner wall members 8 and 9 extending respectively from the outer ends of panels 2 and 3. As shown in these figures a bridging member ID is constituted by the inner wall member 6 with a further extended portion ll. As later pointed out the bridging member may if desired be formed as part of a separate member. It will also be understood that while the various other members forming the blank are shown as integrally connected, and such integral connection is preferred, the element-s may be stitched together along or adjacent the fold lines or otherwise connected as found desirable.

The rear wall I is provided with tongues I2 and I 3 extending from the ends thereof. Preferably and as shown these tongues are cut from the adjacent wall members 6 and I so that when the members 6 and 1 are folded onto the rear wall as shown in Fig. 3 the tongues l2 and I3 form integral extensions of the rear wall leaving openings l4 and I5 respectively in the folded end ed es adjacent the bases of the tongues.

In accordance with usual practice tabs 16 and I! may be formed along thev upper and lower edges of the rear wall I which are folded over and cemented to the rear wall to finish the exposed edges in a conventional manner. Similarly tabs l8 are provided along the too and bottom edges of the bridging member H] which. when folded and cemented against the back of the bridging member as shown in Fig. '3, finish the edges of the bridging member exposed between the panels 2 and 3.

The flap members 4 and 5 are res ectively provided at their end edges with tongues l9 and 20.

In the form shown in Fi s. 1 to 5 the tongues l9 and 20 correspond in size and shape to tongues l2 and i3.

As shown in the figures under discussion wall member 8 is provided with an integral extension 2] which as subsequently described may form the cover of a pass case. In the various figures fold lines are indicated by dot and dash lines.

At any convenient step in the manufacturing operation, but preferably while the blank is flat as shown in Fig. 2, the rear wall I and member 2| are provided with one member of a snap fastener as at 22 and 23 respectively, preferably in each case a post member, the post extending outwardly from the under-side of the blank as viewed in Fig. 2.

The free end of the member I is provided with a tab 24 adapted to make a sliding engagement in a slot 25 in flap as later described.

Panel 2 is shown formed with a window opening 29 covered by a transparent window" 2! cemented along its edges to the panel. Panel 3 is shown cut away as at 28 to expose the edges of the intermediate wall members I and 9 when the billfold is completed as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 3, after member 5 with its extension I|, together constituting bridging member ID, have been folded over onto the rear wall member 7 is similarly folded onto the rear wall to overlap the adjacent end of the member Member 9 is folded over onto panel 3. Member 8 is folded onto panel 2 and its extension 2| is carried around and folded beneath panel 2. Prior to this last folding operation, or at some other convenient time, the extension 2! is folded in reverse manner along the fold lines 29 and, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6, a plurality of trans parent pass card elements 39 are secured to the so formed fold by a spiral wire binding member 3|, or the like.

The next step in the folding operation is shown in Fig. 4. Panels 2 and 3 together with their associated parts 8, 9, and 2| are folded upwardly onto the rear wall I and the members 6 and l with flaps 4 and 5 extending upwardly. Flaps and 5 are then folded downwardly over the wall members 6, 1, into the bill compartment, and the flaps I9 and 2|] respectively are inserted through openings l4 and I5 at the bases of flaps I2 and |3 through which openings they extend into overlying relation with flaps I2 and H5 as shown in Fig. 5', thus locking the various members together in billfold formation. As flap 5 is folded into the bill compartment,'tab 24 of the member It is inserted through slit 25 in flap 5. The tongues l2 and I9 may be cemented or otherwise secured together to form a unitary tongue which is provided with a snap fastener socket member 32 riveting the parts together and positioned to engage stud 29 on the cover member 2i of the pass case to releasably hold the latter closed. Tongues l3 and 25 may be similarly secured together by cement and by a snap fastener socket member 33 positioned to engage post member 22 on the outer face of rear wall I to hold the billfold closed as shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that in the completed structure above described the billfold is provided with a bill compartment 34, a side pocket 35 between wall member I, and bridging member ID, a side pocket 39, between wall member 9 and panel 3 and an intermediate, open-ended pocket 37 between wall members and '9, the outer end of the latter pocket being substantially closed by tongue |3-29 when the billfold is closed as shown in Fig. 6. A window pocket 38 is also formed between panel 2 and wall member 8 and a second intermediate, open-ended pocket 39 is formed between wall members 6 and 8 which pocket is substantially closed at its outer end by tongue |2|9 when the latter is fastened to the cover 2| of the pass case. The closure of the outer ends of the intermediate pockets by the tongues while not complete is sufficient to prevent escape of cards and the like therefrom. The open-ended character of pockets 3'! and 39, which are aligned when the billfold is opened flat, has the further advantage that long folded papers such as. fur- 4 lough papers, letters and the like can be easily threaded from either end of the billfold through one pocket, across in front of the bridging member and into the other aligned pocket.

As previously mentioned the bridging member In may be formed as part of a separate piece as shown for example at 49 in Fig. '7. As shown in this figure the member 4|] is formed with tabs 4| on its upper edge adjacent its ends. These tabs engage through slots 42 formed in flaps 3 and 5 as previously described in connection with tab '24 and slot 25, and as in the case of tab 24 and slot 25 the slots are sufficiently longer than the width of the tabs to permit the bridging member to adjust its position as the billfold is opened and closed.

One advantage of the construction shown in Fig. '7 is that wall members 5 and 7, when folded over onto the bridging member 40 both provided side pockets between them and the bridging mem ber when the blank is folded up as previously described.

Another advantage in forming the bridging member as part of a separate piece is that the overall dimensions of the piece of leather or similar material from which the main blank is cut, is thereby reduced which in some cases permits a more economical use of material. This advantage can be enlarged upon by omitting cover member 2| as an integral extension of wall mem ber 8, and instead, as shown in Fig. '7, providing the free end of member 8 with a reinforcing strip of plastic as indicated at 43 to which the transparent pass envelopes together with a separate cover piece 44, indicated in dotted lines, may be connected as by the wire binding previously de scribed. This has the added advantage that different colored leather, or a stiffer leather, be used for the pass case cover.

In Fig. 8 is shown an alternative manner of connecting a separate bridging member in place. As there shown the bridging member |fi is part of a separate piece 45, provided on its ends with generally T shaped tabs 46 which may be engaged, as shown, in the openings left in members 6 and 1 when tongues l2 and I3 are formed. In this construction members 6 and I may be shortened as shown, since they do not form side pockets. It will be understood that the ends of the member 45 may be variously connected to the wall members 6 and In the forms so far described the tongues H3 and 29 have respectively been secured to the ad- J'acent tongues l2 and I3 to provide a single releasable closure member at each end of the billfold. One or both pairs of tongues may however be left separate to form additional closure members. As shown in Fig. 9 both pairs of tongues are left separate to provide four independent closure members. Tongue l9 is there shown as shortened and its end formed as at t? to interlock in a slot 48 formed in the fold which connects member 8 and panel 2, to thereby permanently substantially close the outer end of openended pocket 39. The outer end of tongue i2 is here formed as indicated at 49 to interlock beneath a strap 59 provided on the face of the pass case cover 2| to releasably hold the pass case closed. Tongue 20 is provided with one member of a snap fastener 5|, the other member of which is carried by a closure member 52 extending from the free end of wall member 9 and forming a closure for the pocket between member 9 and panel 3. Tongue i3 carries the fastener member 33 which as previously described is engageabie 'in the fold connecting panel 2 and wall member 3. If desired tongue 26 at'the other end may I be similarly employed as indicated at :55 to permanently close the open-'endedpo'cket at that end of the billfold while its companion tongue I3 is provided with the fastener member 33 .which as previously described is engageable witha com-- plementary member on the rear wall I to hold the billfold closed.

In relatively thin billiolds of the type shown in Fig. 10, vmy improvement makes; it' possible to somewhat enhance the thinness of the billfold when closed, and yet provide means for holding it closed, by employing the tongue-arrangement shown in Fig. 11 where tongues 19' and 20 are used to permanently close the outer ends of the open-ended pockets, in the manner above de'-' scribed, while tongues 12 and Bare respective ly provided with cooperating snap fastener elements 56 and 51 which when engaged hold the billfold closed without adding'to'its thickness; It will be understoodthat this'form' of closure is not necessarily limited to a :thin type of bill-' fold.

As will be apparent from the several embodiments of my invention above described my invention makes possible a wide range of billfolds having various capacities to meet various needs. Many other advantageous applications of themvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It will also be understood that the invention may be combine'd with conventional structures, and to secure specific and limitedadvantages. For example, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 where the right hand end panel member of the front wall of the billfold is shown in theform of a purse as generally indicated at 58 while the other end is constructed according to the'presentin vention to secure the advantageousjlocking of the parts at that end as "well as to provide a closure strap for the billfold; the open-ended pocket being shown asem'ployed to receive one cover 59 of a separable pass ca'se, releasably held to the billfold by the locking tongue I 9, as shown in Fig. 12, or provided with its own'holding' flap and tongue 61! as shown in Fig. 13. As shown in Fig. 12 the body of tongue I9 is preferably made wider than tongue l2 and therefore wider than the opening through which it passes to permit interlocking with the opening atthe base of tongue l2 as later described and shown' in Fig.

It is not essential that the flaps 4 and 5, from which the front wall tongues project, be carried by any particular wall member of .the front wall assembly. In the forms above described these flaps and tongues are carried by the panel mem-' bers 2 and 3. The flaps 4 or 5'with their locking tongues may be carried by any suitable front wall element to give a desired capacity to the billfold, consistent with the tongue performing" inner wall member, and a tongue extending frommember 9 to permit panel 3 to provide a pocket open at its top and one side. When member 9 is folded over onto panel 3 (as shown in Fig. 15) panel 3, wall 9 and flap 5 may be folded upwardly and flap 5 folded downwardly into the billfold with tongue 20 extending through the opening l5 (Fig. 16), to lock the parts together, as previously described. Panel 3 thus provides a pocket 6| open at its top and side. As shown, the upper edge of the pocket may be provided with'a lock flap 62 for releasably securing a purse (not shown) in the pocket, in the manner shown in Buxton Patent 2,319,110. I

-Neither the "specific shapes nor the relative sizes of the parts shown are deemed essential features of the invention. The size and shape of the several tongues may differ from each other. The adjacent tongues need not overlie each other, although such arrangement is pre- 20' 1 separate opening may be formed in the folded thereby increase the locking action. This is pre ferred in any case where as for example in Figi 12 the tongue carried by the front wall member is used alone as a releasable closure member. Where the tongues overlie each other and are secured together, as by the application of one member of a snapfastener (Fig. 3), 'or the'end'of the front wall tongue is permanently locked in the front wall structure as in Fig. 10 the shoulders 65 may be omitted.

It will be understood that for purposes of clearness the relative thickness of the parts has been exaggerated and that the drawings are not to scale. Also, that, where desirable, parts of the leather may be skived to decrease their thickness in accordance with the best practice, al-f though such skiving is not shown in the drawings. I

I. claim: 1. In a'flexible pocket receptacle; a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front, wall, said walls, defining a bill compartment,

'* said front wall including a wall member connected to the rear wall along its lower edge and having a flap folded downwardly into the bill compartment between said rear wall and'said the outer end of'said flap, the bill compartment being provided with an opening at an end of its rear wall through which said tongueextends outwardly of the receptacle. V

2. In a flexible pocket receptacle, a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front we. said walls defining a bill compartment, said front wall includin a panel member extending from the lower edge of the rear wall and folded upwardiy over the rear wall, a second inner wall member extending from the outer end of the panel member, said last two members being folded in superposed relation over the rear wall, a flap extending from the upper edge of one of said last named members and folded downwardly into the' bi-l-l .pempartment, 'a tongue extending fromthe outer end of said flap, and the bill compartment-being provided with an opening at an end of its rear wall through which said tongue extends outwardly of the receptacle and means preventing substantial movement of the tongue in wardly of the opening.

3. In a flexible pocket receptacle, a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, a tongue cut from said inner wall member and extending outwardly from the end of the rear wall, the cut by which the tongue was formed providing an opening, at an end of the rear wall, from the bill compartment to the outside of the receptacle, said front wall including a wall member connected to the rear wall along its bottom edge and having a flap folded downwardly into the bill compartment between said rear Wall and said inner wall member, a tongue extending from the outer end of said flap outwardly through said opening and means preventing substantial movement of the last named tongue inwardly of the opening,

4. In a flexible pocket receptacle, a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, a tongue out from said inner wall member and extending outwardly from the end of the rear wall, the cut by which the tongue was formed provid' ing an opening, at an end of the rear wall, from the bill compartment to the outside of the receptacle, said front wall including a panel member extending from the lower edge of the rear wall and having a flap folded downwardly into the bill compartment between the rear wall and said inner wall member, a tongue extending from the outer end of said flap outwardly through said opening, a second inner wall member extending from the outer edge of the panel member and folded between the panel and the first mentioned inner wall member and having an extending portion folded over onto the outer face of the panel and means for connecting at least one of said tongues to the outer face of said extending portion.

5. In a flexible pocket receptacle a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, said front wall including a panel member extending from the lower edge of the rear wall and having a flap folded downwardly into the bill compartment between said rear wall and said inner wall member, a tongue extending from the outer end of said flap, the bill compartment being. provided with an opening at an end of the rear wall through which said'tongue extends, outwardly of the receptacle, a second inner wall member extending from the outer end of the panel member and folded between the panel and the first mentioned inner wall member, a multiple pass case hinged to the free end of said second inner wall member and folded over onto the outer face of the panel and means for connecting said tongue to the outer face of the pass case.

6. In a flexible pocket receptacle, a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, a tongue out from said inner wall member and extending outwardly from the end of the rear wall, the out by which the tongue was formed providins. an openingatan end oftherearwall, from the bill compartment to the outside of'th'e receptacle, said front wall including a wall member having a flap folded downwardly into the bill compartment between said rear wall and said inner wall member, a tongue extending from the outer end of said flap outwardly through said opening, a snap fastener member riveting said tongues together outwardly of said opening and a second snap fastener member carried by the V exposed face of the rear wall and cooperating with the fastener element carried by the tongues to hold the receptacle closed.

7. In a flexible pocket receptacle, a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, said front wall including spaced panel members at least one of said panel members extending from the lower edge of the rear wall and folded upwardly over the rear wall and the inner wall member, said last mentioned panel member having a flap extending from its upper edge and folded downwardly into the bill compartment between said rear wall and said inner wall member, a tongue extending from the outer end of said flap, the bill compartment being provided with an opening at an end of the rear wall through which said tongue extends outwardly of the receptacle, and means preventing substantial movement of the tongue inwardly of the opening, said inner wall member having a bridging portion extending across the space separating the panel members.

'8. In a'fiexible pocket receptacle, a rear wall, inner wall members extending from the ends of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, said front wall including a pair of spaced panel members extending from the lower edge of the rear wall and folded upwardly over the rear wall, a flap extending from the upper edge of each panel member and folded downwardly into the bill compartment between the rear wall and the adjacent inner wall member, means for locking said flaps in the bill compartment and a bridging member spanning the space between the panel members and having its ends respectively loosely interlocked to the inner end portions of the adjacent inner wall member.

9. In a flexible pocket receptacle a rear wall, an inner wall member extending from an end of the rear wall and folded thereon, and a front wall, said walls defining a bill compartment, said front wall including spaced panel members extending from the lower edge of the rear wall, a second inner wall member extending from the outer end of a panel member and folded inwardly between the panel member and the first inner wall member, a flap extending from the upper edge of said panel member and folded dewn-- wardly into the bill compartment between the rear wall and the first-mentioned inner wall member, means securing said flap in the bill compartment, said second wall member forming with the panel member a pocket closed at its outer end and forming with the first-mentioned inner wall member a second pocket open at both ends, and a member bridging the space between the panel members and having an end loosely interlocked to said first-mentioned inner wall member.

DOUGLAS J. BROUGHTON.

(References on following page) 9 REFERENCES CITED Number;

1,964,460 Gardner June 26, 1934 10 Name Date Sherwood July 28, 1942 Renz Jan. 9, 1945 Sherwood Nov. 6, 1945 Broughton Nov. 4, 1947 Broughton Dec. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 5, 1923 Great Britain May 9, 1940

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