US2019235A - Duplex case - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1935. w p m 2,019,235

DUPLEX CASE Filed April 8, 1935 w 30 five/2Z0]; Wzjzfred ZPar in,

Patented Oct. 29, 1935 E T E D S T is,

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DUPLEX CASE Application April 8, 1935, Serial No. 15,193

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a duplex case such, for example, as a combination cigarette and vanity case.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a duplex case which is of simple design and of pleasing and attractive appearance, having substantially continuous outer surfaces free from projecting parts and the like; to provide a case having concealed latch members which may be selectively operated by flexing one section of the case relative to another; and to provide a case which is of strong and durable construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and which can be sold at a relatively low cost.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a case constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the cover of one section or compartment in open position;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sections of the case on the lines 2-2 and 3-3, respectively. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of the center of the case;

Fig. 5 is .a perspective view of the partition between the two sections; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are side elevations, with parts broken away and shown in section, illustrating the manner in which the case may be flexed to open one or the other of the compartments.

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a pair of juxtaposed compartments or sections, designated generally by the numerals l and 2, each of which is preferably of sheet metal or other suitable material which may be readily shaped or worked and which is capable of receiving and retaining a good surface finish. As here shown by way of illustration, the compartment 5 is designed to provide a vanity case and the compartment 2 is designed to hold cigarettes, although it is to be understood that the compartments may be designed for any other use and may be of any desired size and shape.

The compartment I is provided with side walls II and I2 (Figs. 6 and 7), and a bottom wall [3 terminating in a curved outer end M which is provided with a hinge which supports a cover [6. The cover is is provided with lateral flanges H and i8 which closely flt against the inner faces of the side walls H and !2, when in closed position, and the front edge of the cover is also provided with a flange having an outwardly extending tongue or lip l9 which constitutes a latch member.

The compartment 2 is of similar construction, having side walls 2| and 22 and a bottom wall 23 terminating in a curved outer end 24 which is provided with a hinge 25 which supports a cover 26. The cover 25 is likewise provided with lateral flanges 21 and 28 which closely fit against the inner faces of the side walls 2! and 22, when in closed position, and the free end of the cover is provided with a flange having an outwardly extending tongue 29 which constitutes a latch member. If desired, the covers I6 and 26 may each be provided with a spring of usual construction (such as that indicated at 25*) for swinging them open upon the release of latches.

In the particular embodiment herein shown the compartments I and 2 are arranged so that their respective inner end walls 3! and 32 (Fig. 2) are juxtaposed to each other and the bottom wall of one compartment is disposed on one face of the case and the corresponding wall of the other compartment is on the opposite side of the case, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and '7. The end walls 35 and 32 are preferably of substantially less height than the adjacent side walls of the compartments,

and, if desired, the upper edge of the end walls may be turned inwardly to provide a retaining flange 33, as shown in Fig, 2.

A partition 40, which is of a relatively stiff material such as heavy sheet metal, is interposed between the end walls 3! and 32 and the upper margin of this partition extends above the topedge of the walls 3| and 32, constituting, in effect, an

extension of these walls, as shown in Fig. 5. This partition is provided with a pair of centrally disposed struck-out ears or yokes and 42, each having an aperture therein. At each end of the partition is a pair of oppositely projecting lugs 33 and t4, the utility of which is hereinafter set forth. Recesses or openings 45 and it are formed between the yokes ll, 62 and the longitudinal edges of the partition, these recesses constituting catches to cooperate with the latches l9 and 29 for holding the covers in closed position.

When the parts are assembled the yoke GI and one of each pair of lugs 43, M at the opposite ends of the partition project through openings in the wall 3! into the interior of compartment l, and in like manner the yoke 52 and the other of each pair of lugs 43, or project through openings in the wall 32 into compartment 2, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7.. The parts are retained in assembled position by means of a pair of arcuate shaped springs 5| and 52. The spring 5| projects through the opening in the yoke 4| with its opposite ends bearing against a metal reinforcing strip 55 disposed against the inner face of the end wall 3|, and the spring 52 projects through the opening in the yoke 42 with its opposite ends bearing against a reinforcing strip 56 disposed against the inner face of the wall 32. The springs 5| and 52 are normally under sufficient tension to hold the end walls flush against the partition and the lugs 43 and 44 are operative to prevent relative rotation or twisting of the compartments, and thus the two compartments are normally aligned so that their side, bottom and top walls or covers define substantially continuous planar surfaces, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lugs 43 and 44 also prevent the springs 5| and 52 from twisting or swinging about the yokes 4| and 42. The parts are so designed that when the covers are swung to closed position (Fig. 2) the tongues l9 and 29 project into the openings 45 and 46, respectively, and are retained therein by the action of the springs 5| and 52, the tongues l9 and 29 and the openings 45 and 46 thus providing complementary interengaging latch members for holding the covers closed.

Since the springs 5! and 52 yieldingly hold the end walls of the compartments against the partition 40 and hence constitute a flexible connection, the case may be flexed in either direc- 'free end of the cover is separated from the partition 40 and hence the tongue I9 is withdrawn from the opening 44, as shown in Fig. '7, thus permitting the cover I6 to swing open. In like manner the compartment 2 may be flexed about the junction of its bottom and end walls to eflfect the withdrawal of the tongue 29 from the opening 46, thus permitting the cover 26 to swing open as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to prevent the compartment I from being flexed about the free end of its cover (thus tending to separate the inner end of its bottom wall from the partition 40) the lugs 43 and 44 which project into the interior of the compartment, may be bent upwardly against the strip 55 (Fig. 2) to lock the end wall and partition together, so as to prevent such flexing movement, and in like manner the lugs 43 and 44 which project into compartment 2 may be bent upwardly to lock the end wall 32 against the partition 46 so as to prevent the compartment 2 from being flexed about the free end of its cover 26.

When the case is held in a horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, a downward flexing movement of either section effects the opening of the compartment whose cover faces upwardly. For example, when the case is held in a persons hands so that the cover 26 of the compartment 2 faces upwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the natural downward flexing movement of either or both the compartments causes the withdrawal of the tongue 29 from the opening 46 and hence efiects the opening of the cover 26. In like manner the natural downward flexing movement eifects the opening of the cover l6 when the case is held so that the cover faces upwardly, as shown in Fig. 7.

As previously noted, the compartments and 2 may be designed for any desired use and when, as here shown, the compartment is designed for use-as a vanity case, a powder tray of any desired type may be assembled with or built into the compartment. In this embodiment a "rolltop leak-proof powder container is shown assembled within the compartment this particular type of container having the construction 5 shown in my copending application Serial No. 10,818, filed March 13, 1935, to which reference may be had for a detailed description. The compartment 2 is designed to hold cigarettes and to this end a retaining member 66 (Fig. 1) may be 1 provided to form a pocket in which the cigarettes may be disposed. As the inner end of the compartment 2 is clearly visible when the cover 26 is opened, a false wall 6| may be provided to conceal the spring member 52 and associated 15 parts which would otherwise be exposed. The wall 6| may be provided with flanges 62 and 63 (Fig. 2) on its upper and lower edges, the flange 63 rest-ing upon the bottom wall 01' the compartment and the flange 62 having a curled edge 20 by means of which it may be caught under the flange 33 on the end wall 32, thus securing the wall 6|] in position. If desired, the compartment I may be provided with a false wall of similar construction, although the necessity of using such 25 is dispensed with when the powder container is built into the compartment, as shown in Fig. 2.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose 30 of illustration only, and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope 35 of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having contiguous ends, means connect- 0 ing said ends, said means being constructed to permit the case to be flexed, a cover for each compartment, and latch means for holding each cover in closed position, said means being releasable in response to flexing of said case.

2. A case comprising juxtaposed compartments connected at adjacent ends so as to be capable of being flexed, a closure member for each compartment, and latch means constructed and arranged normally to hold the closure members in closed position, said means being releasable in response to flexing of said case.

3. A case comprising juxtaposed compartments connected at adjacent ends so as to be capable ofbeing flexed, each compartment having a cover movable toward and away from said adjacent ends, and latch means constructed and arranged normally to hold the covers in closed position, said means being releasable in response to the flexing of said case.

4. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having contiguous ends, means connecting said ends, said means being constructed to permit the case to be flexed, a cover for each compartment pivotally mounted to swing toward 45 and away from said ends, and latch means for holding the covers in closed position, said means being releasable in response to the flexing of said case.

5. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having interconnected ends constructed and arranged to permit the case to be flexed, a cover for each compartment, and latch means associated with each cover, said means being normally operative to hold the covers in closed position' and being releasable in response to flexing of the case.

6. A case comprising juxtaposed compartments connected at adjacent ends so as to permit the case to be flexed, a cover for each compartment movable toward and away from said adjacent ends, and latch means including complementary interengaging parts carried by the covers and the end wall of the compartments, said latch means being normally operative to hold the covers in closed position and being releasable in response to the flexing of the case.

'7. A case comprising juxtaposed compartments connected at adjacent ends so as to permit the case to be flexed, a catch at the end of each compartment, a cover for each compartment movable toward and away from the abutment on said associated compartment, each cover having a tongue engageable with its respective catch to hold the cover in closed position, the tongues and catches being movable away from each other in response to flexing movement of the case, thereby to release the engagement therebetween.

8. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having contiguous ends, resilient means clamping said ends together and operative to permit the case to be flexed, a cover for each compartment, and latch means associated with each cover, said means being normally operative to hold the covers in closed position and being releasable in response to the flexing of the case.

9. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having contiguous ends, resilient means clamping said ends together and operative to permit the case to be flexed, a cover for each compartment movable toward and away from said adjacent ends, and latch means including complementary interengaging parts carried by the covers and end walls of the compartments, said latch means being normally operative to hold the covers in closed position and being releasable in response to the flexing of the case.

10. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having contiguous ends, resilient means clamping said ends together and operative to permit the case to be flexed, a catch at the end of each compartment, and a cover for each compartment movable toward and away from the abutment on its associated compartment, each cover having a tongue engageable with its respective catch to hold the" cover in closed position, the tongues and catches being relatively movable away from each other in response to flexing movement of the case, thereby to release the engagement therebetween.

11. A case comprising a pluraiity of compartments having juxtaposed ends, resilient means connecting said ends and operative to permit the case to be flexed, each of said ends having a recessed part, a cover for each compartment pivotally mounted to swing toward and away from said ends, and a tongue on each cover arranged to project into said recessed part at the end of its associated compartment to hold the cover in closed position, the tongues being relatively movable away from the respective recessed parts in response to flexing of the case, thereby to permit the covers to be swung to open position.

12. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having juxtaposed ends, a partition between said ends, resilient means associated with said partition and operative to clamp the ends of said compartment against said partition and to permit the case to be flexed about said partition, a cover for each compartment movable to-v ward and away from said partition, and latch.

means including complementary interengaging parts carried by the covers and said partition, said latch means being normally operative to hold the covers in closed position and being releasable in response to the flexing of the case.

13. A case comprising a plurality of compartments having juxtaposed ends, a partition between said ends, resilient means associated with said partition and operative toclamp the ends of said compartment against said partition and to permit the case to be flexed about said partition, said partition having recesses on opposite faces, a cover for each case pivotally mounted to swing toward and away from said partition, and a tongue on the free end of each cover arranged to project into one of the recesses in the partition normally to hold the cover closed, the tongues and partition being relatively movable away from each other in response to the flexing of the case in one direction or another, thereby to permit the covers to be swung to open position.

14. A duplex case comprising a pair of compartments having juxtaposed ends, a partition interposed between said ends and having recesses on its opposite faces and a. yoke member projecting into each of said compartments, a spring member carried by said yoke and acting against the ends of said compartments, thereby yieldingly to clamp them together so as to permit flexing of the case about said partition, a cover pivotally mounted on the outer end of each compartment to swing toward and away from said partition, and a tongue on the free end of each cover arranged to project into one of the recesses in said partition, the tongues normally being operative to hold said covers in closed position and being movable from said recesses in response to flexing of said case, thereby to permit the covers to be swung into open position.

15. A duplex case comprising a pair of compartments having juxtaposed ends, .a partition interposed between said ends and having a yoke member projecting into each of said comp-artments, a spring member carried by said yoke and acting against the ends of said compartments, thereby yieldingly to clamp them together so as to permit flexing of the case about the partition, a cover pivotally mounted on the outer end of each compartment to swing toward and away from said partition, and tongue and catch members carried by said covers and partition normally operative to hold the covers in closed position and releasable in response to flexing of the case.

WINFRED T. PARKIN.

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