US2437934A - Closure - Google Patents

Description

Mal'ch 1. 1943- J. G. BRINK 2,437,934

CLOSURE v Filed April 14, 1945 Patented Mar. 16, 1948 UNITED sTArEs PATENT on-ice 29137934 oLosuitii John G. Brink, E vanst n, assignur "ta it'ahri McNaIly & Company, a corporation ii! illinfiis Application April '14, 1945, serial in. mm

(01. eas -tr) 2 claims.

This invention relates to closure means, and more particularly, although not limited thereto, means for releasably securing together theeov'er portions of memorandum or documentjackets, and the cover portions of jackets, envelopes or other flexible containers adapted for containing blank papers, papers having printed'orn'iemorandum information thereon, maps, and papers for other articles of any character "adapted to be contained either bound or loose in such jacket or container. I wish it understood that "this esure or fastening means is not limited in use to flat jackets or containers, but is adaptable to any other shape of container in which thereare present a pair of overlapping, flexible portions that 'may be attached together'with'the closure means of the present invention. I

Prior to my invention there has ben'greatneed for a closure means for jackets, "containers and the like, in which the closing 'cove'rinaly bequickly and'securely fastened in closed positionwithout the needof separate snap fasteners, "buckles,

economical to manufacture, efiicient in operation :and pleasing in appearance.

Another object is to make suchelosure mean integral with the overlapping cover parts, and of a nature to be easily and effectively operated;

a further feature being to eliminate the use of separate parts, and provide the -fas'tening means of the present invention-by merely making slits and/0r slots in the material of the overlapping cover parts and interengaging some of the slitted or slotted portions thus-formed; 'a still further object being to provide a closure means of the kind referred to in which thereare no projectingparts to become injured, or patch inn/persons pocket or the like; an additional feature being the ability to quickly unfasten the clqsure by merely pressing inwardly on the longitudinal side edges of the jacket, container or the like, and then pressing laterally at the inner edge of the slitted portion and allowing the respective parts to separate by releasing the pressure on the side edges; and such further objects, features, advantages and. capabilities inherently possessed by my invention, as will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein preferred embodiments, I

tapes, strings and the like, and "yet be readily 2 wish it understand "that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing fromthe 'spiritofmy invention.

Inthe drawings Fig. '1 is "a "plan view a container jacket with the 'eoverfibaekand flap laid "out flat and-showingpaper'sheets Iyirigbi ertheback, V l

"2 is a plain "view (if the jacket of Fig. 1 with thefflap and cover in closed position and fastened together "by a 'cldsure fastener embodying'fir'iyiiivention.

insists afnenlar'gedtransverse section on the line 3 ofFfgi. I

Fig. 4i's a'pl'anwiw'lif a closed jacket in Which the same parts are closed "in 'a slightly different maimer to'g'ive awards closure."

l fig'. 5 is "a section on theili'ne '5'"5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. fifis a rra'gmentaryplan View of a portion cra e bfthe fla s "sh o'Winga straight slot.

"Referringmore' indet'ail tothe drawings I have, ror illustrative "purposes only, shown my invention asaprilie'd to'a memorandum or document jacket pr folder comprising a back I to the iongitudinalside'edges of'which "are swingably connefctedtwbfnnnt naps "covers: and '3, which, while one is shown "wider than the other, may pi dr anyfdesireu width'srelativelytoeach other. F'Iap I formed. 2. Suitable *uistance inwardly of it'sfiufr'loiigitiidirial "edgdwith'a contoured slit '4 eiitendine entirety through "the material of the fiain'aiid comprising 's'id'e slitsi and-6 Which'cohtinue into the curved end slits 1, "B -and J9. As will'be'senfin ,1 "these slits are continuous with each bthr and form an i'nner tongue I'D a a an blite'r tongue l'l. "Tongue 10 has two outwardly siteaqingportions T2 and I 3, and due tothes'lits extending eht'irly through the thickness dfEthefiap 'may be fiexed inwardly or outwardiy "of the plane :or the flap byJpressure of tfifiiff6ffiiiihgdf th'e'flap.

nap 3 Qfoi nied inwardlymf its lon itudinal edge, a; slot l4, having on its outer side (when laidfoiit 'fiat) an enlargement f 5 (seeF-ig. L1). Slotf4 is so positioned in flap 3 as to be in lateral alinement with tongue ll of flap 2, So that when flap 2 is lapped over flap 3, tongue ll may be inserted through slot l4 (see Fig. 3), Tongue is integrally connected with flap 2 by means of the connecting strip "5. As seen in Fig. 3, the flaps 2 and 3 are swingably connected to the back I at H and I8 respectively, by folds in the flexible material, however I wish it understood that other forms of hinge means may be used as desired. This enables flaps 2 and 3 to be swun inwardly into overlapping position to close the proaching said position the tongue I will be flexed slightly inwardly by the fingers of the operator (unless it already stands at such in ward angle as it may do "after continueduse) and the free edge 20 of the fiap'3 will be passed underneath the edge of flap 2 and above the tongue I0 so as to be therebetween when the 4 to effect the swinging movements of the flaps with relation to the back if desired,

Also if a quick closure fastener is desired. the same may be manipulated by ignoring the tongue I 0, permitting it to remain above the flap 3, and bringing the free end of tongue I I into registry with the slot, and pressing inwardly on tongue II and releasing the pressure on the edges of the jacket or folder and permitting tongue II to pass into the slot I4 and underneath the strip 2|, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This gives a closure that, while not so secure, is quickly operated, and will suifice for temporary purposes.

' 'For a secure and more dependable closure I pretwo flaps are in approximately parallel planes;

With the flaps closed approximately parallel position, the fingers of the operator will then be pressed inwardly on the hinge edges l1 and I8 to flex the back I of the jacket outwardly (preferably with the thumb on'one edge and the fingers on the other) which will cause the'free end of tongue II to move above the slot I4, after which 'a slight inwardpre'ssure on this tongue and a simultaneous releasing of the pressure ,on the hinge edges I1 and I8 will cause the tongue II to enter the slot I4 and pass underneath the strip 2| formed integrally with flap 3, due to the tendency of the fiexedback tostraighten'out.

To open this closure and release the flaps for opening of the jacket, the fingers'of the operator are again pressed against the edges I1 and I8 to move'tongue II ba'ckwardly out of'the slot I4, when a slight inward pressure of the finger against the exposed strip I6 will press this strip inwardly beyond the plane of the tongue, and release of the pressure on the edges of the jacket will slide the tongue over the top of the strip, and the flaps may then be swung to open position. A little practice will enable the operator to become quite skillful in performing the above operations. When the flaps are closed and fastened the tongue II will be positioned in the recess in tongue I0 formed bythe portion 9 of the slit. The enlarged portion I5 of slot I4 fa cilitates entry thereinto of the larger curved base portion of the tongue II, without causing too abrupt a bend in this tongue when the flaps are fastened shut. I f

As seen in Fig. 2, when the flaps are closed and fastened in the manner described above, the edge of flap 3 will be visible in the opening formed by the tongue I0 being underneath the strip 2I. In Fig. 3 the outer edge of the strip I6 of flap 2 is indicated at 22. The flaps and the back may be made of heavy paper, light cardboard, plastics, thin metal, thin tough flexible wood (with separate hinges fastened thereto), fabric, accreted fibers, leather, or any other suitable flexible material available, it being understood that separate hinges may be applied fer the form shown in Figs. 1-3.

While the lateral enlargement of the slot I4 asat I5, is preferred, a simple straight slot I4 as shown in Fig. 6 may be used if desired, a1- thoughthis form will give a more abrupt bend in the tongue II when fastened in position.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A closure for containers and the like, comprising a body portion; a first flap hingedly mounted on said portion and being made of flexible material and having a substantially W-shaped slit therein, said flap being continuous from the slit to the marginal edge opposite the hinged mounting and said slit forming on one side thereof a first tongue having on its outer edge a notch, and forming on the other side thereof a second tongue, and a second flap of flexible material hingedly mounted on said portion, said second flap having a substantially straight continuous marginal edge opposite its hinged mounting of a length greater than the width of the slit, and said second flap having a slot therein spaced from its said marginal edge a distance less than the length of said first tongue, said slot being adapted to receive said second tongue, said flaps being movable between open and closed positions, said second tongue extending into said notch when said flaps are in open position, and said second flap having its said marginal edge traversing said first tongue when the flaps are in closed position whereby said first tongue may be inserted under said marginal edge of the second fiap and said second tongue may be inserted in said slot. 1

2. The closure claimed in claim 1 in which said marginal edge of said second flap extends substantially the entire length of the container.

JOHN G. BRINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 873,416 Davis Dec, 10, 1907 1,461,0l6 Perry July 3, 1923 1,476,822 Kronenberger Dec. 11, 1923 1,670,647 Alter May 22, 1928

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