US2763366A - Lunch box - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1956 A. c. SMITH ETAL LUNCH BOX Filed Dec. 18. 1955 INVENTOR. B0) 4. SM/TH ALMA C. SM/TH BY United States Patent LUNCH BOX Alma C. Smith and Roy L. Smith, Provo, Utah Application December 18, 1953, Serial No. 399,008

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-4) This invention relates to portable means for carrying foods and liquids, and more especially to devices of the lunch box type.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a lunch box with means affording entry thereto from at least two adjacent sides thereof, whereby the box may be packed with facility and the contents thereof positioned for easy subsequent removal. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide a lunch box with resilient means for supporting a Thermos bottle or other frangible type of liquid container to guard against and to absorb impacts delivered to the lunch box and thereby prevent and protect the bottle against accidental breakage.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for resiliently supporting a Thermos bottle in a lunch box in a position adjacent to but spaced from the bottom and side Walls thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide locking means in a lunch box to prevent the accidental opening thereof.

Further and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lunch box constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention, the box being illustrated in its closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lunch box of Figure 1, the lunch box in this instance being illustrated in its open position; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the vertical plane of line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral 1 designates, in general, a lunch box constructed according to the invention. The lunch box 1 is elongated and substantially rectangular in configuration and comprises a back wall 2 integrally joined at each end thereof to a pair of opposed laterally extending end walls 3, and 4, respectively. A bottom wall 5 is integrally formed with and connected to the lower ends of the back and end walls, 2, 3 and 4.

The open side of the lunch box 1 is partially closed by a fixed side wall 6 which extends between the end walls 3, 4, and the box 1 is provided with a partition wall 7 which connects with the lower end of the side wall 6 and extends transversely of the side wall 5 and end walls 3 and 4 to divide the box into two compartments referred to in general by reference numerals 8 and 9.

A cover comprises an elongated substantially rectangular front wall 10 pivotally connected at 11 along its lower end to the marginal edge of the bottom wall 5 adjacent the open side of the lower compartment 9. A top wall 12 extends laterally from the upper end of the front wall 10. As is clearly seen in the drawing, the front wall 10 and top Wall 12, when pivoted from their positions shown in Figure 2, serve as closure members forv the open sides of the compartments 8 and 9 (see Figure 1).

A peripheral flange 13 extends continuously around the opposed ends of the front wall 10, the top wall 12 and the free longitudinally extending edge thereof for engagement with the adjacent marginal edges of the upper ends of the back wall 2, side walls 3, 4 and the vertical adjacent edges thereof.

A member having a base 14 and diverging arms 15 and 16 is secured by vivets 17 to the front wall 10, the member being formed of a resilient material.

A pair of longitudinally spaced leaf springs 18 (only one being shown in'Figures 2 and 3) project laterally from the back wall 2 and into the lower chamber 9.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the diverging resilient arms 15 and 16 are adapted to engage a liquid container such as a Thermos bottle 19, shown in dotted lines, intermediate the ends thereof. With the Thermos bottle in the position shown in Figure 2, and upon subsequent movement of the front and top walls 10 and 12, respec- 'tively, to the positions shown in Figure 2, the Thermos bottle 19 engages against the end thereof While the free ends of the arms 15 and 16 flex and slide against the partition Wall 7 and bottom wall 5 respectively, whereby the Thermos bottle is resiliently supported within the compartment 9 in spaced relation with respect to its adjacent back and front walls 2 and 10, and the bottom wall 5.

It should be noted at this point that in the event the cork, stopper or closure member for the Thermos bottle work loose, of if for some other reason the liquid escapes therefrom no damage will ensue to the food packed within the lunch box 1 since the same is positioned within the upper container above the Thermos bottle. Also, by having the Thermos bottle located in the bottom of the box the center of gravity of the box is lower, resulting in making the box harder to tip over during transportation and reducing the hazard for bottle breakage.

A bail 20 is pivoted at 21 adjacent its termini to the opposed end walls 3 and 4, the bail including an elongated concave central section 22 which extends longitudinally over and in spaced relation to the top wall 12 when the latter is moved to its closed position. The central section 22 is adapted to nest in the concave base portion 23 of an inverted substantially U-shaped handle 24 having the ends thereof riveted at 25 to the top wall 12. Thus the bail and the handle cooperate, when in the positions shown in Figure l, to form lock means to prevent accidental opening of the lunch box 1. The flange 13 is sprung over the upper edge of the back wall 2 and serves as additional locking means.

The lunch box 1 may be constructed of any sufliciently rigid material, as of metal or plastic, and due to the simplicity of its structure, the same may be produced inexpensively.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it is to be understood that it is ofiered by way of example, and that the present invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lunch box, a body comprising a bottom wall, a back wall, and end walls, and a front wall spaced upwardly from said bottom wall, a partition wall secured to and extending between said end walls and spaced upwardly from said bottom wall at the level of said front wall, said partition wall, said bottom wall, said end walls, and said side wall defining a compartment having an open front, a cover comprising a front Wall having a lower end hinged to said bottom wall at the open front of the compartment, said cover front wall having a rear Patented Sept. 18, 1956" side, a bottle holder comprising an element secured to the rear side of the cover front wall, resilient divergent arms secured to and extending rearwardly from said element, the spread of said arms normally being greater than the distance between said bottom wall and said partition wall, said cover being arranged to occupy an open position wherein said cover front plate is angled away from the open front of the compartment and said bottle .holder is withdrawn from said compartment to a closed position wherein said cover front plate ClOSes the open front of the compartment and the bottle holder is positioned within said compartment with at least one of the holder arms compressed toward the other holder arm by and slidably engaged with the partition wall on the bottom wall.

2. In a lunch box, a body comprising a bottom wall, a back wall, and end walls, and a front Wall spaced upwardly from said. bottom wall, a partition wall secured to and extending between said :end walls and spaced upwardly from said bottom wall at the level of said front wall, said partition wall, said bottom wall, said end Walls, and said side Wall defining a compartment having an open front, a cover comprising a front wall having a lower end hinged to said bottom wall at the open front of the secured to and extending rearwardly from said element, the spread of said arms normally being greater than the distance between said 'bottom wall and said partition wall, said cover being arranged to occupy an open position wherein said cover front plate is angled away from the open front of the compartment and said bottle holder is withdrawn from said compartment to a closed position wherein said cover front plate closes the open front of the compartment and the bottle holder is positioned within said compartment with at least one of the holder arms compressed toward the other holder arm by and slidably engaged with the partition wall on the bottom wall, and a compressible member mounted on said back wall within said compartment and positioned between said holder arms in the-closed position of the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 206,287 Will July 23, 1878 373,433 Bord Nov. 22, 1887 1,058,068 Lamb Apr. 8, 1913 1,194,466 Berg Aug. 15, 1916 1,238,074 Labadie Aug. 21, 1917 1,515,638 Wason Nov. 1-8, 1924 2,013,852 Odendahl Sept. 10, 1935 2,046,244 Carner June 30, 1936 2,102,433 Nevins Dec. 14, 1937

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