US2132339A - Receptacle - Google Patents

Description

w. ZHPPER 2,332,339

'RECEPTACLE Filed Jan. 13, 1938 2 SheetsFSheei; 1

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, Zia? d W. ZEPPER RECEPTACLE Filed Jan. 13, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLE Walter Zipper, Vienna,

Austria, assignor to Evans Case Company, North Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts 11 Claims.

The invention has to do with a receptacle which is particularly adapted for cigarettes and the like and especially to such a receptacle as may be carried conveniently in a pocket, handbag or the like.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a receptacle in which the contained articles are more or less securely held in position and in which the closed receptacle entirely covers and protects the contents while the open receptacle exposes the contents and may present a portion of each contained article uninclosed and free to be grasped for withdrawal.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the receptacle closed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the receptacle open in one position and Fig. 3 is an end. elevation of the receptacle open in another position. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse horizontal. section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are respective views of individual elements of the receptacle. Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are fragmentary sections of portions of the receptacle showing the construction and arrangement of elements in de' tail.

The receptacle consistsof two outer or cover members 20 and 2| which are hinged together on one side at 22. The hinge 22 may preferably be supplied with spring mechanism 23 tending to bias the members 20, 2| to open position. The members 20 and 2| are provided with suitable releasable catches for holding them in closed position. The exact form or shape of the'members 20 and 2| is not essential to the present invention. In the drawings the member 20 is illustrated as consisting of a flat rectangular outer plate member from which extend inwardly at the four sides walls 24, 25, 26 and 21. Likewise the cover member 2| is illustrated as consisting of a fiat rectangular cover member on which at the four sides are inwardly extending wall members 28, 29, 30 and 3|. To hold the cover members 20 and 2| in closed position any suitable catch 1 device may be employed. In the drawings is, il-

At. its innerl that the tension of the spring 32 tends to hold I the catch 36 in engagement with the lip 31 but pressure on the thumb piece 34 will force the catch 36 inwardly to release the engagement and allow the members 20 and 2| to be forced to open position by the spring 23.

The inner container for the'cigarettes or the like consists of two members 33 and 39. These members are identical in construction the member 38 being shown in detail in Fig. '7. Each member 38, 39 consists of a more or less rectangular side member 40 having an end member 4| turned substantially at right angles thereto. There is on the member 46 a bottom member 42 turned substantially at right angles to the member 49 and provided with curled or tubular members at its inner edge alternating with cutout portions 44. The end member 4| in height is slightly more than the thickness of a cigarette or other article to be held in the receptacle while the wall member 42 is only one half this height. When the two members 38 and 39 are brought together the tubular members 43 of one will fit into the cut-out portions 44 of the other thus producing a more or less continuous channel in which may be placed a pin 45 which may thus form a pintle for the hinge connecting together the two members 38 and 39. At the edge of the member 4| is an inwardly turned lip 46 so arranged that when the members 38 and 39 are fastened together by the pintle 45 the edge of the plate 4| will lie under the inturned member 46 of the other thus forming the members 38 and 39 into a hollow rectangular receptacle.

The members 38 and 39 are preferably made of thin, more or less resilient metal so that they may be slightly deformed from their rectangular form, to cause the edges of the plate 43 to be engaged or disengagedfrom the holding member 46'. Thus the receptacle formed by the members 38 and 39 may be bent to the position indicated in Fig. 3. The plate 40 is cut to form tongues 46 which may be slightly curved or bent inwardly so as to gently, resiliently engage the cigarettes or other articles marked X in Fig. 5 so as to tend to press them against the opposite wall of the receptacle and thus retain them in position. The spring members 46 are alternately and oppositely disposed so that the cigarettes X are held on one side only by a single spring member 46.

The depth of the receptacle formed by the members 38 and 39 may preferably be less than the depth of the receptacle formed by the cover members 20 and 2| and also somewhat less in depth than the cigarettes X or other articles, to

be held. Thus the articles X may extend beyond the upper edge of the receptacle formed by the members 38 and 39 and so be readily available for grasping to be removed. The springs 46 not merely retain the articles X in the receptacle but retain them in position so that the articles do not rely upon each other for being held in the receptacle but each is separately held and when one or more of the articles is removed the rest are not disarranged but each remains substantially in its original orderly place and position.

As illustrated in Fig. 4 the inner receptacle formed by the members 38 and 39 is freely suspended inside the cover members 20 and 2|, the member 38 being suspended from the mem ber 28 and the member 39 being suspended from the member 2!. The specific means illustrated for this suspension consists of a plate 41 suspending the member 38 and a plate 48 suspending the member 39. These plates are identical and one of them is illustrated in detail in Fig. 6 as consisting of a more or less flat, rectangular member provided at its lower-edge with curled or tubular members 49 alternating with cut-out members 58. The tubular members 49 are held in the cut-out portions 5| between similar curled or tubular members 52 provided at the top edge of the members 38 and 39. Through the tubular members 49 and 52 extends a pin 53 forming a pintle of a hinge thus formed for joining the members 38 and 39 to the members 4"! and 48.

At their other ends the members 41 and 48 are provided with a tubular hinge member 54 through which pass pins 55 or 58. The pins 55 and 56 extend beyond the ends of the bearing members 54 and extend into the bearings carried by the members 20 and 2|. These bearings consist of members 51 which may be appropriately fastened by welding or soldering to the inside of the out-erward corners of the members 28 and 2!. For instance as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 the member 5'! may be soldered to the walls 24 and 21 of the member 28. The member 51 is preferably made of malleable metal and in addition to the base portion attached to the members 24 and 21 consists of an extending hook member 58 which lies flat against the wall 21. The member 58 is in the form and position illustrated in Fig. 10 when first installed. In this position the rod or pin 55 may be inserted against the wall 28 above the hook member 58 and when in this position the member 58 may be turned to the position indicated in Fig. 11 thus enclosing and entrapping the end of the pin 55. It will be understood that a similar member 5'! is similarly provided at the other end of the pin 55 for holding it on the member 20 and members similar to 51 may be provided for holding the opposite ends of the pin 58 in the corresponding corners of the member 2!.

As assembled thus and closed the parts take the position indicated in Fig. 4 when the. inner receptacle members 38 and 39 are held in closed position by the catches .46" and are supported or suspended by the members 4'! and 48 it being noted that the hinge 45 is nearly in contact with the hinge 22 but is free and not attached thereto.

When the thumb pieces 34 are pressed to release the catches the members 28 and 21 will be caused to separate by the spring 23. This movement causes the members 41 and 48 to turn from the vertical position indicated in Fig. 4 to the substantially horizontal position indicated in Fig. 2. This movement causes the inner receptacle 38, 39 to be lifted so that its bottom is held away from the hinge 22 and the contained articles X are lifted and freely exposed for removal. It will be noted in Fig. 4 that the members 4'! and 48 form an extension of the members 38 and 39 and enclose and protect the sides of the article X when in the position indicated in Fig. 4. In the position indicated in Fig. 2 the members 41 and 48 have lifted the articles X which are thus free, open and exposed for removal.

With the device in the position indicated in Fig. 2 the members 38 and 39 may be twisted slightly out of rectangular position and the catches 46 may thus be released so that the device may come further open and take the position indicated in Fig. 3. In this position the inner receptacle is entirely open and may be readily cleaned and filled with the articles X it being understood that the articles X may be placed for instance on the member 38 and the member 39 brought over into contact with it and the catches 46' snapped into place to hold the members 38 and 39 together to form the closed receptacle. Thereafter the members 20 and 2| may be brought together and the entire device held closed by the catches 38. Articles X may be inserted as well as removed while the device is in the condition illustrated in Fig. 2.

The receptacle is illustrated as arranged to receive ten articles X and this may be a convenient form to manufacture but the-number forms no part of the present invention which may be arranged to receive more orless articles X. The members 41 and 48 have been illustrated as flat sheets and such may be convenient and desirable. They iorm a particularly pleasant appearance, especially when in the position indicated in Fig. 2 in which the members 41 and 48 form a more or less solid background which may be ornamented if desired and from the midst of which project the articles X. This construction, however, is not essential as the plates 47 and 48 might be perforated or cut-out, or their entire centers might be removed and the plates consist merely of two end members. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited toany specific embodiment and the particular structure illustrated and described is presented merely for the purpose of clearly illustrating the invention.

The specific devices illustrated in the drawings may be varied in many respects and still form an embodiment of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the members to each other at one edge, catches at edges of one member, springs supporting the catches, finger pieces to release the catches, inwardly turned lugs at the edges of the other member releasably engaging the catches to hold the receptacle closed, seats on the members at the edges opposite the hinge, pins carried in the. seats, plates on the pins, bearings. on the sides of the plates away from the pins, holder members engaging the bearings, a rod holding together the bearings and the holder members, a pintle hinging together the holder members at their edges opposite the plates, releasable means at the sides of the holder members holding them in contact with each other, and resilient members alternately and oppositely disposed in the holder members for en.- gaging articles. to be held therein.

2. A receptacle comprising two cover members, 75

a hinge connecting the members to each other at one edge, releasable means to hold the receptacle closed, seats on the members at the edges opposite the hinge, pins carried in the seats, plates on the pins, bearings on the sides of the plates away from the pins, holder members engaging the bearings, a rod holding together the bearings and the holder members, a pintle hinging together the holder members at their edges opposite the plates, and releasable means at the sides of the holder members holding them in contact with each other, and resilient members alternately and oppositely disposed in the holder members for engaging articles to be held therein.

3. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the members to each other at one edge, releasable means to hold the receptacle closed, seats on the members at the edges opposite the hinge, pins carried in the seats, plates on the pins, bearings on the sides of the plates away from the pins, holder members engaging the bearings, a rod holding together the bearings and the holder members, a pintle hinging together the holder members at their edges opposite the plates, and releasable means at the sides of the holder members holding them in contact with each other.

4. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the cover members at one side, two separate members hinged together to form a holder, means connecting the holder to the cover members at the side opposite the hinge and releasable means to keep the holder members together.

5. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the cover members at one side, two separate members hinged together to form a holder, rigid means connecting the holder to the cover members at the side opposite the hinge and releasable means to keep the holder members together.

6. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the cover members .at one side, two separate members hinged together to form a holder, a rigid member hinged to the holder and to the cover members at the side opposite the hinge and releasable means to keep the holder members together.

7. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the cover members at one side, a holder comprising two members, a hinge connecting the holder members together at one side and lying near the first mentioned hinge when the receptacle is closed releasable means to keep the holder members together, and means for moving the second mentioned hinge away from the first mentioned hinge as the receptacle opens.

8. A receptacle comprising two cover members,

a hinge connecting the cover members at one side,

a holder comprising two members, a hinge connecting the holder members together at one side and lying near the first mentioned hinge when the receptacle is closed releasable means to keep the holder member together, and means connecting the cover members at the side opposite their hinge to the respective holder members at the side opposite their hinge.

9. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the cover members at one side, a holder comprising two members releasable means to keep the holder members together, a hinge connecting the holder members together at one side and lying near the first mentioned hinge when the receptacle is closed, means for moving the second mentioned hinge away from the first mentioned hinge as the receptacle opens, and resilient members in the holder members for engaging articles to be held therein.

10. A receptacle comprising two cover members, a hinge connecting the cover members at one side, two separate members hinged together to form a holder lying between the cover members, plates hinged to the outer sides. of the cover members and the holder so as to form continuations of the holder when the receptacle is closed and tomove the holder outwardly as the receptacle is opened and releasable means to keep the holder members together.

11. A receptacle comprising two cover members, hinged together at one side, two separate members hinged together to form a holder smaller than the cover members and resting adjacent the hinge when the receptacle is closed, and means for moving the holder to substantially the outer edge of the cover members when the receptacle is open and releasable means to keep the holder members together.

WALTER ZIPPER.

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