US1859052A - Wardrobe case - Google Patents

Description

J. RITTER, JR

May 17, 1932.

WARDROBE CASE Filed April 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY Wmv, /f/JU ATTORNEY.

May 17, 1932. J, Rrr-HER` JR 1,859,052

WARDROBE CASE Filed April 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M www' A TTORNEYS Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES 12A-.TENT OFFICE .TULI'US RITTER, JR., 0F RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TOl HARTMANN TRUNK COM- PANY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATIONl 0F WISCONSIN WARDROBE CASE Application led Apr1 15, 1929. Serial No. 355,138.

My invention has relation to improvements in wardrobe cases.

The object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe case particularly adapted for the accommodation of garments of considerable length, said case being composed of a plurality of sections which, when folded together, provide a case of compact form and comparatively small size, and of pleasing appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe case consisting of end sections and an intermediate section hinged together, and adapted, when the sections are opened out, to form a receptacle of considerable length for the accommodation of long garments suspended from hangers in one of the sections, and adapted further, when the sections are brought to closing position, to

rovide for said sections being releasably locked together to prevent movement of the sections, one with respect to the other, during the time the case is being carried or transorted while traveling.

l/Vith the above objects, andother incidental objects in view, the invention consists of the devices and parts, or the equivalents thereof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. `1 shows the three sections of the case opened, and with the garments which are carried by the hangers properly positioned therein;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 2, but showing the hanger section of the case raised, and releasably held in said raised position through the medium of theconnecting means between it and the intermediate section;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the case when the three sections are in closed position;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the case when in closed position with a part broken'away to show the releasable interlocking engagement between the three sections; and

-Fig. 6 is a detail sectional fragmentary view, to show more clearly the hinge connection between an end section vof the case and the intermediate section.

.outer end thereof,

most when the Fig..1, are vertical brackets 14. vTo these brackets are adjustably connected the opposite ends of a flexible-retainer strap 15, the

extend .into the section Referring to the drawings, the numeral 6 indicates one of the end sections of the case, the numeral 7 the other end section, and the numeral 8 the intermediate section.

The t'wo end sections are 4each with a handle 9. The handles, when the three sections are in closed position, as shown in Fig. 4, are brought together, and constitute a double carrying handle. v

-Within the Vsection, 6 near the upper or and secured to opposite" sidesthereof, are the usuali rails 10-10 for supporting hangers 11, and over which hangers theV garments 12 are supported. These garments are shown as trimmed with fur, thecollar in one instance having the fur trimming, and the sleeves being similarly trimmed, and the bottom of one of the gar ments being shown as having a lfur border. These fur trimmings or vborders are indicated in the drawings by the numeral 12.

VUpon opposite sides kof section 7 are a1- provided lranged yflexible pockets 13-13 for the accommodation of laundry, such as handkerchiefs.

Also secured on opposite *sides of the section 7 near the end thereof which is innersectionsare extended. as in and Vsmall articles,

adjustability beingsuch that the strap may .be adjusted inwardly or outwardly so as to the garments which 7 to thereby prevent` during transproperly press against said garments from swinging portation of the case.

' One end of a protectngcurtain 16 is connected to the-retainer strap, the opposite ends of said curtain being connected to theA end of It will benotic d that the opposite endsof the bottom ofl the intermediate section 8 are formed vwith elongated slots 17-17, and in the bottom of each of these slots are upstand- -ing shoulders 18-18 and 18-18.

Therend edges 19 of the sides of the section 7 adjacent the intermediate section 8 are formed with recesses 20. When section 7 is turned upwardly to closing position, the.

end edges 19 enter the slots 17-17, and the recesses 20 formed in the end edges fit over the shoulders 18.

The end edges 21 of the sides of the section 6, which are adjacent to the intermediate section 8, are also provided with recesses 22. When vthe end section 6 is turned upwardly to closing position, the said end edges 21 also enter the slots 17, and the recesses 22 engage over the'shoulders 18"18. By this provi-y sion an interlocking but readilyreleasable connection is provided between the three sections.

In addition, the three sections are hingedly connected to each other by means of hinges 23. lVithin the sections are provided the usual side and bottom linings, indicated by the numeral 24 on the drawings.

For the purpose of packing the improved case, the different sections are adjusted to the extended positions shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The garments are then connected to the hangers and occupy the length of section 6, and of course where long garments are connected to t-he hangers, as shown 4in the drawings, these long garments are carried along and through the intermediate section 8 and into the section 7. The curtain 16 of course covers and protects t-he garments. The retainer strap 14 is adjusted so as to fit properly against the garments which extend into the section 7, so as to prevent the said `garments from swinging when the case is 4being carried.

After all the garments have been adjusted inthe manner described, the two end sections 6 and 7 are-turned upwardly on their 'hinge joints to the closed position illustrated f in Fig. 4. The hasps 25 are then brought into locking position and locked, and the case `-is ready-for transportation.

It will be apparent that when the caseis 'in the closed position just described, the shoulders 18 and 18 are in engagement with thev recesses 20 and 22, whereby the three sections are held disengageably locked, and said `:sections are thereby firmly held against movement -with respect to each other while the caseis being carried.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the case is of such construction that it is capable of accommodating very long garments,and yet at the same time said case, j when in closed position and ready for use, is not'unduly large, but, on the contrary, is eX- tremely compact, and furthermore, is of a shape that readily appeals to the traveler.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is shown in de- 'tailone of the hinge connections 23 for connecting' the intermediate section of the case to an end section thereof. n By preference this hinge connectionr is similar to that described and claimed in my application for patent on hinge construction, fil-ed September 17th,

- V'1928'. Serial N o. 341,371,'which will on April 30th, 1929 eventuate into Patent No. 1,710,714. Therefore a detailed description of said hinge connection would seem unnecessary.

One of the very important features of my invention is the construction, whereby a most advantageous co-operation between the end sections and the intermediate section is obtained, and whereby the three sections are not only releasably locked together when closed, but are also held in rigid, square form, and against movement with respect to each other, and are further prevented from being bulged outwardly.

It will be noted that the intermediate section 8 not only consists of the bottom piece, but also includes upstanding side walls, which I have designated 8. The opposite ends of the bottom piece, in which the slots 17-17 are located, are extended outwardly beyond these upstanding side pieces 8. As a result of this construction, when the two end sections of the case are raised. to closing position the outer faces of the side walls 8 of the intermediate section come in contact with the inner faces of the side walls of t-he end sections. and the'end edges of sai-d side walls of the end sections are against the bottom ofthe intermediate section.

` By this provision the intermediate section acts as a stop when the end sections are raised to a closed position, and the case is also held in rigid, square shape. Also, the end sections of the case, when the case is in closed position, are tightly locked by reason of the end edges 19 and 21 entering the slots 17`17,

Vand thus bringing the recesses 2O and 22 into engagement with the upstanding shoulders 18-18. The end edges 19 and 21, in conjunction with the recesses 2O and y22 also prevent Athe case from bu'lgmg out when-- closed, and the intermediate` section 8 prevents the case from being pushed inwardly, which, of course, would have a tendency to release the end edges that enter the slots 17-17.

It will be further seen that the long garments extend across the bottom of the intermediate section between the side walls 8-8, and inasmuch as the side walls of the end sections 6 and 7 of the case'are on the Y' outside of said upstanding walls 8, it is evident that the garments lie between the upstanding walls 8, and hence will not interfere with the closing of the case.v

W'hat I claim as my invention is:

1. A wardrobe case comprising, an intermediate section and end sections hingedly connected to the opposite ends of said intermediate section, all of said sections having side walls of substantially similar height and said end sections being so hinged that when said sections are unfolded a continuous receptacle, of length equal to the combined length of all of said-sectionsand having a substa'ntially continuous bounding Wall of adjacent end corners of the side Walls of both of said end sections when said sections are folded together.

2. A Wardrobe case comprising, an intermediate section and end sections hingedly connected to the opposite ends of said intermediate section, all of said sections having side Walls of substantially similar height and said end sections being so hinged thatv when said sections are unfolded a continuous receptacle of length equal to the combined length of all of said sections and having a substantially continuous bounding Wall of substantially uniform height is formed, and the side Walls of said intermediate section being provided with longitudinal slots terminating in upstanding shoulders, the sides of said slots being formed to overlap the adjacent end corners of the side Walls of both of said end sections and said shoulders being adapted to interlock with recesses in the ends of said end sections when said sections are folded together.

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature.

JULIUS RITTER, JR.

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