US2845155A - Devices for facilitating the manual transportation or porterage of luggage - Google Patents

Description

y 1958 T. R. SNEYD-KYNNE LEY 2,845,155

DEVICES FOR FACILITATING THE MAN TRANSPORATION 0R P ERAGE 0F LUGGAGE Fi Feb. 9. 195a Figure 1, 10 denotes a suitcase.

United States Patent ()7 DEVICES FOR FACILITATING THE MANUAL TRANSPORTATION R PORTERAGE OF LUGGAGE Thomas Ralph Sneyd-Kynnersley, Mayfield, England Application February 9, 1956, Serial No. 564,602

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 11, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 190-57)v -This invention relates to devices for facilitating the manual transportation or porterage of suitcases and simi lar articles of luggage and more particularly to such devices of the kind comprising a wheeled carrier adapted to be afiixed at one edge or corner of a suitcase or the like and a handle assembly which is adapted to be applied at or in the region of a diagonally opposite edge or corner of said suitcase or the like, the carrier and the handle assembly "being secured in position by means of a. retainingv strap or the like which is passed completely around the suitcase or the like.

It is the chief object of the invention in a device of the kind indicated to provide a new and improved handle assembly which is cheaper to manufacture than the handle assembly hitherto employed, but which does not result in any lowering in the efiiciency of the device as a whole.

According to the present invention a handle assembly for incorporation in a device of the kind referred to comprises a flexible or pliable pad or the like of rubber or other similar material which is adapted to be threaded on to the strap and on application of the device to a suitcase or the like to be positioned at that corner of the latter diagonally opposite that at which the wheeled carrier is app-lied and a handle or grip element is also adapted to be threaded on to the strap and to be positioned, so that one end thereof is in contact with or closely adjacent to the pad or the like, the arrangement being such that with the device applied to a suitcase or the like and the handle or grip element manipulated to tilt the latter so that the weight thereof will be supported on the wheeled carrier, said one end of the handle or grip element will engage and seat firmly on the pad and said element will tilt or pivot about such end, thereby to apply additional tension to the strap. Preferably, the handle or grip element is hollow, comprising a length of tubing formed for example of plastic'm-aterial such as polythene and shaped to simulate a conventional suitcase handle or grip element.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into elfect the same will be herematter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View showing a suitcase to which a porterage device has been applied, such device comprising a wheeled carrier and a handle assembly which are secured in position by means of a strap extending around the suitcase.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view on a larger scale showing the handle assembly.

Figure 3 is an end view looking from the right of Figure 2.

'Figure 4 is a perspective view of the handle assembly including an additional element which may or may not form a part of the equipment.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Located at one corner of the suitcase is a wheeled carrier 11 While a handle assembly 12 is applied at the diagonally opposite corner, said carrier and assembly being secured in position on the pad firmly in position.

2 suitcase by means of a strap 13 which is passed completely around the case. It will be appreciated that with the wheels of the carrier 11 in contact with the ground and the suitcase tilted as shown the weight of the suitcase will be supported on the wheels and. it will be readily possible by means of the handle to wheel the case along.

Referring now toFigures 2 and 3 it will be seen that the handle assembly comprises a handle or grip element 14 which conveniently consists of a length: of tubing formed for example of thermoplastic material such as polythene, As indicated the handle or grip element is preferably of slightly bowed or arcu-ate shape, so that it will conform substantially to the shape of a conventional suitcase handle. As indicated at 15 and 1-6 the ends of the handle or grip element are appropriately angled for a purpose, hereinafter made apparent. In addition to the handle or grip element 14 a flexible or pliable pad 17 of rubber or other similar friction gripping material is provided, such pad being so dimensioned that it will extend aro nd. the; edgeor cornerportion of an suitcaseorth lik to whi ity is applied. The. pad 17 is formed. with tw s ot hich are sp ced apart rel i ely to; each ther. and are adapted to allow the strap 11 to h hreeded therethl'ough the. arr ngement being uch that 9 assembly one end of the strap 13 is threaded through one of the slots in the flexible or pliable pad 17 passingfrom the upper or outer side of the latter to the under or in side face and thence through the second slot again to the upper or outer side, whereafter it is passed through the hollow handle or grip element 14.

As shown in Figure 1 when the device is applied to a suitcase the wheeled carrier 11 is positioned at one corner of the latter and the pad 17 at the diagonally opposite corner, the strap 13 being passed completely around the case and thereafter tightened to secure said carrier and The arrangement is such that when the user grips the handle or grip element 14 to tilt the suitcase so that the weight of the latter will be taken on the wheeled carrier, said handle or grip element will be pulled outwardly relatively to the case, pivoting or tilting about that end thereof which rests upon or abuts against the pad 17. By reason of the nature of the pad 17 and the particularly obtuse angled end 16 of the handle or grip element (see angle A, Fig. 2) the latter will, when in its operative position, seat firmly on said pad so that tendency to undersired sideways angular movement will be substantially obviated. Further the outward pivoting or tilting movement of the handle or grip element 14 will result in increased tensioning of the strap 13, so that any tendency for the latter to slip from the case will be obviated. Finally, by reason of its inherent flexibility, the pad 17 will fit snugly around the corner of any suitcase or the like whether it be rounded or angled and will thus provide a firm seating for the handle assembly.

While for reasons of cheapness it is preferable to form the handle or grip element of plastic material it is to be understood that it may be made of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid material.

In order positively to prevent any tendency to sideways angular movement of the handle and also positively to hold the same in an operative position it is proposed to provide an element of the kind shown included in Figure 4. Such element, which is designated generally by 18 and is conveniently formed of stout wire, is triangularly formed with a wide base 19 and with a reduced portion or neck 20 which latter is so dimensioned as to be capable of being introduced into the end 15 of the handle or grip element 14. The end 15 of the handle or grip element is conveniently slightly flattened the arrangement being such that the reduced portion or neck 20 of the element 18 will fit relatively firmly therein. As is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 when the 3. element 18 is employed it is introduced under the strap 13 and the reduced portion or neck 20 is inserted into the end of the handle or grip element 14. With the element 18 in position the base 19 thereof will seat stably on the end of the suitcase and that element will form a rigid strut or stay which will positively prevent undesired lateral tilting or angular movement of the handle or grip element and will moreover positively maintain the latter in its operative position so that the maximum tension will be exerted on the strap 13 at all times. The addition of the element 18 is entirely an optional feature since the handle assembly will infact operate entirely satisfactorily without it.

I claim:

1. An assembly for transportation of luggage for use with a wheeled carrier applied to and supporting one edge of the luggage, the combination comprising a strap circumventing said luggage such that the strap passes over the supported edge and edges parallel thereto, a flexible and resilient pad applied to the edge diagonally opposed to the supported edge, said pad defining an opening through which said strap is threaded, an oblong handle member for applying tension to said strap and having one end bearing and pivoting on said pad, said handle member defining a longitudinal opening through which said strap is threaded, the end of said handle member being shaped to seat firmly on said pad when the handle strap engaging means is angularly disposed with 4. respect to the surface of the luggage and tension is applied to said strap.

2. A handle assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle member defines a hollow tubular member through which said strap is adapted to pass, and wherein the end of said tubular member is disposed at an obtuse angle to insure firm engagement between said pad and said handle when the handle is in its operative position. 1

3. A handle assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a strut element extending between the end of said handle member remote from the pad engaging end and the luggage being transported, and means on said handle member rigidly engaging with said strut, said strut element further being approximately triangularly shaped and including a base part bearing on the luggage to prevent lateral pivoting movement of said handle when in use.

4. A handle assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the handle member is tubular, and flattened at the end remote from said pad engaging end, and wherein said strut element comprises means insertible within the tube portion of said handle member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images