US2695085A - Garment carrying bag lock - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 23, 1954 J. RITTER, JR

GARMENT CARRYING BAG LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7, 1953 .rrrnwab bf a p NOV. 23, 1954 m T JR 2,695,085

I GARMENT CARRYING BAG LOCK Filed D90. 7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 23, 1954 m JR 2,695,085

gAR MENT CARRYING BAG LOCK Filed Dec. 7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent GARMENT CARRYING BAG LOCK Julius Ritter, In, Racine, Wis, assignor to Hartrnann Company, Racine, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,666

9 Claims. (Cl. 19043) This invention relates to improvements in garment carrying bag locks, and more particularly to a lock for securing a flexible garment .carrying bag in its doubled over transportable condition and for also locking the slide fastener for an interior compartment of the bag against unauthorized operation.

There are on the market certain types of flexible garment carrying bags for full length garments which can be suspended in outstretched condition .from a hook in an automobile, Pullman compartment or closet, or which can .be medially folded upon themselves and engaged by a handle positioned along the transverse line of fold to permit the .bag, in the lattercondition, to be manually carried in the manner of an ordinary suitcase or piece of hand luggage. When a garment carrying bag of the aforesaid type is in its outstretched condition one face thereof has an exposed full length opening into the interior of the bag controlled by a flexible flap which can be separated from the wall there-adjacent for opening purposes along an end and side margin of the flap, which line of separation is controlled by a conventional slide fastener. Because of the flexible nature of the bag, when it is in its folded over transportable condition a tamperer might, if provision were not made to guard thereagainst, reach the aforesaid slide fastener and thereby open the flap to the interior of the bag and obtain access to the contents thereof. The present invention, however, has as its principal object the provision of a locking means for not only holding portions of the bag together in the folded over condition but for also locking, in said folded condition of the bag, the slide fastener operator for the interior compartment closure flap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment carrying bag lock of very simple construction and which, through a single manipulation, will perform a dual function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment carrying bag lock which in no way interferes with the normal use of .the bag.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment carrying bag lock with which a flexible type garment carrying bag may be readily provided at a minimum of expense, which is neat and inconspicuous, which is simple and effective in its operation, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view the inven tion consists of the improved garment carrying bag lock and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the garment carrying bag in its outstretched full length condition, looking at the inner face and one side edge thereof and showing the line of severance of the main compartment closure flap controlled by a slide fastener;

Fig. 2 is an end perspective view of the bag in its folded over transportable condition showing the lock which retains the portions of the bag in folded over condition and locks the inner closure flap slide fastener op erator;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the lower end portion of the bagin itsfolded over condition, only showing the lock therefor in its released condition and disengaged from the closure flap slide fastener operator; and

adapted to house 2,695,085 lcfi Patented Nov. 23, 1954 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially to Fig. 1, it will appear that the improved garment carrying bag in its out-stretched condition is generally of rectangular contour and it is in the nature of an enlarged envelope of substantial breadth with the various walls thereof being'formed of a strong fabric or other suitable flexible material. The inner face wall, generally designated by the numeral 8, extends from top to bottom in the outstretched condition of the bag and has attached to two of its longitudinal edges narrower end walls 9 which are formed of flexible material and which are in a plane generally at right angles to the planes of the inner wall 8 and an outer wall 10, the latter being secured to the other longitudinal edges of the end walls 9 by suitable lines of securement which are preferably reinforced by leather covered strips or welts 11. Said outer wall 10 is also of a flexible material.

The inner face wall 8 of the bag may be opened to give substantial access to the interior of the bag which is full length garments. The opening separation takes place along'a transverse line of severance which at one corner of the bag is rounded and extends into a longitudinal line of severance along a longitudinal margin of the inner face wall 8 to permit the release along these margins of a closure flap 12. The slide fastener which is adapted to traverse the entire line of severance between the closure flap 12 and the inner face wall 8 is indicated in the drawings by the numeral 13. The slide fastener operator, which is at one end of the complete line of severance when the closure flap is in its secured position, is designated by'the numeral 14 and in the present invention this slide fastener operator carries a flexible loop or handle 15 of a substantial size, whose function will be referred to more fully hereinafter in connection with other elements of the bag lock.

The garment carrying bag is adapted to carry in its main compartment, in the upper end thereof relative to Fig. 1, conventional garment hangers (not shown) for the removable support of full length garments such as coats, suits, dresses and the like. Also there may be provided on the outer face of the closure flap 12 auxiliary pockets 16 and 17 which can'be used for the storage of smaller articles of wearing apparel and miscellaneous travelling equipment. The upper margins or entrances to the auxiliary pockets 16 and 17 are normally maintained in closed condition by slide fastener means 18 and 19.

When at a point of destination or in an automobile or Pullman compartment, the garment carrying bag may be supported in unfolded outstretched condition, as in Fig. 1, by means of a pivotal hook 20 at the top end of the outstretched bag engaging any suitable elevated support or hanger rod. In this position of the bag the full length garments housed therein are covered and protected in their normal outstretched condition and are maintained free of wrinkles and fold lines. Also in this condition when the closure flap 12 is in its secured relation to the inner face wall 8, the housed garments will be protected.

As will appear from Figs. 1 and 2 the end walls 9 in the region of the transverse median of the bag along which the folding is accomplished are locally widened to aid in the accommodation of the folded over portions of the garments when the bag is folded into its transportable condition. Also the outer face wall 10 along its transverse median and in registration with the locally widened re-- gions of the end walls 9, is preferably reinforced and a conventional carrying handle 21 is anchored to the outer face wall and reinforcement thereof.

Along the transverse median of the inner face wall 8 and suitably covered with leather or other finishing material is a rigid retainer bar 22 adjustably associated with the ends of the rigid reinforcing means on the outer face Wall by strap and buckle means 23.

When it is desired to fold the bag for transportation and manual carrying purposes, from the condition of Fig. l. to the condition of Fig. 2, it is folded medially upon itself with the retainer bar 22 cooperating to define the line of fold. Then, that portion of the bag which includes the reinforced transverse median of the outer face wall carrying the handle 21, becomes the top of the folded bag.

The lower portion of the end wall 9, considering the bag in its outstretched condition, carries a transverse strap 24 having its free end portions adapted to transversely overlap the opposite end portion of the end wall 9 when the bag is in the folded condition of Figs. 2 and 3. The free end portion of the strap 24 carries a key controlled lock element 25 equipped with opposite side spring urged latching shoulders 26. A folded over end wall portion 9 overlapped by the free end portion of the strap 24 on the other extremity of said end wall 9 has anchored thereto a looped metallic buckle member 27 which is adapted to be entered by the lock equipped free end of the strap 24 to retain the bag in its folded over condition. The projecting condition of the shouldered latch elements 26 prevents the undesired withdrawal of the lock end of the strap from the looped buckle 27 unless the shouldered latch elements are pressed inwardly, and by virtue of a key applied to the lock 25 the members 26 can be locked in their outspread condition. Thus, the bag may be locked in its folded over transportable condition in which condition it is most apt to be indiscriminately stored or made available to a tamperer.

The present invention furthermore aims at the locking of the loop of the slide fastener operator for the main compartment flap 12 when the bag is in the folded over condition of Fig. 2. By referring to Fig. 3 it will be observed that in the folded over condition of the bag, when the closure flap 12 is secured by the slide fastener 13, the loop 15 attached to the slide fastener operator is adjacent one of the end walls which is at a bottom corner portion of the bag when the bag is folded over. Hence the slide fastener operator may be locked against unauthorized operation or tampering byv inserting a strap 24 through the slide fastener operator loop 15 just prior to inserting the lock end of the strap into the fixed buckle loop 27. When the latter is accomplished the condition shown in Figs. 2 and 4 attains and if the resilient shouldered members 26 are locked against withdrawal from the buckle loop 27, not only will the bag be locked in its folded over condition but the looped end 15 of the slide fastener operator will be locked on an intermediate portion of a strap 24 so that a tamperer cannot manipulate the slide fastener 13. Consequently the improved lock means for the bag accomplishes a highly desirable dual function.

While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the disclosure is merely an exemplification of the principles involved and the right is reserved to make all such changes in the details of construction as will widen the field of utility and increase the adaptability of the improved garment carrying bag lock provided such changes constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In a flexible garment carrying bag for full length garments and of the type to be suspended in outstretched condition or folded medially upon itself for hand transportation and including an inner face flap controlling access to the interior of the bag, closure means for said inner face flap, said closure means having an operator which in the flap securing condition of the closure means is positioned adjacent a downwardly foldable corner of the bag, complementary securing means on opposite downwardly foldable portions of the bag for securing said portions together, said complementary securing means being also directly engageable with the inner face flap closure means operator in the folded condition of the bag.

2. In a flexible garment carrying bag for full length garments and of the type to be suspended in outstretched condition or downwardly folded medially upon itself for hand transportation and including an inner face flap controlling access to the interior of the bag, closure means for said inner face flap, said closure means having an operator which in the flap securing condition of the closure means is positioned adiacent a downwardly foldable corner of the bag, a tongue having an end portion anchored to one of the downwardlv foldable corner portions of the bag and engageable with the other downwardly foldable corner portion of the bag for securing said bag portions together, said tongue also being directly engageable with the inner face flap closure means operator in the folded condition of the bag to prevent operation of said closure means.

3. In a flexible garment carrying bag for full length garments and of the type to be suspended in outstretched condition or downwardly folded medially upon itself for hand transportation and including an inner face flap controlling access to the interior of the bag, closure means for said inner face flap, said closure means having an operator which in the flap securing condition of the closure means is positioned adjacent a downwardly foldable corner of the bag, a strap anchored at one end to one of the downwardly foldable corner portions of the bag, an intermediate portion of the strap being fixedly engageable with the flap closure means operator in the folded condition of the bag and having its free end overlapping the other downwardly foldable corner portion of the bag, and means on the latter corner portion of the bag for locking the strap thereto.

4. In a flexible garment carrying bag for full length garments and of the type to be suspended in outstretched condition or downwardly folded medially upon itself for hand transportation and including an inner face flap controlling access to the interior of the bag, closure means for said inner face flap, said closure means including an operator which in the flap securing condition of the closure means is positioned adjacent a downwardly foldable corner of the bag, a loop movably carried by said closure means operator, a tongue having an end portion anchored to one of the downwardly foldable corner portions of the bag, and means for lockingly engaging the other end portion of the tongue with the other downwardly foldable corner portion of the bag for securing said bag portions together, an intermediate portion of said tongue being insertable through said loop.

5. In a flexible garment carrying bag for full length garments and of the type to be suspended in outstretched condition or downwardly folded medially upon itself for hand transportation and including an inner face flap controlling access to the interior of the bag, a slide fastener for marginal portions of said inner face flap including an operator with a looped member which in the flap secured condition is positioned adjacent a downwardly foldable corner of the bag, a tongue anchored at one end portion to one of the downwardly foldable corner portions of the bag, an intermediate portion of said tongue bein insertable through said looped member in the folded condition of the bag to prevent operation of the slide fastener, and a buckle on the other downwardly foldable corner portion of the bag engaging the other end portion of the tongue for securing said bag portions together and confining said looped member on the tongue.

6. In a flexible garment carrying bag for full length garments and of the type to be suspended in outstretched condition or downwardly folded medially upon itself for hand transportation and including an inner face flap controlling access to the interior of the bag, slide fastener means for said inner face flap including an operator, a lpoped member flexibly carried bv said operator and positionedadiacent a downwardly foldable corner of the bag when in its flap securing position; a strap anchored at one end to one of the downwardly foldable corner portions of the bag, an intermediate portion of the strap being insertable through said loo ed member in the folded condi ion of the ba and having its free end overlap ing the other downwardly foldable corner portion of the bag, and means on the latter corner portion of the bag for releasably locking the stra thereto.

7. Tn a travelling bag which in its hand carried conditron includes a pair of face to face pouch sections with a flap in an inner face of one of the pouch sections controlllng access to said pouch section and a fastener for said flap, said fastener having an o erator, a strap havin one end portion anchored on a lower portion of one of the pouch sections and attachable to the flap fastener to anchor 1t, and means for locking the other end portion of the strap to the other of said pouch sections to hold the pouch sections in juxtaposition and to confine the flap fastener operator against unauthorized operation.

8. In a flexible garment bag adapted to be transversely medially folded upon itself for carrying purposes, an inner wall of the bag in its folded condition having a pocket therein, a flap closing said pocket, a slide fastener applied to marginal portions of said flap, a looped member for operating said slide fastener, a strap secured at one end to one of the folded over portions of the bag and extended across the other folded over portion of the bag and through said looped member to secure it against operation of the slide fastener, and means for securing 5 t3 the other end' PCgfitlOl of the strap to said other folded References Cited in the file of this patent over portion of e ag.

9. In a travelling bag which in its hand carried condi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion includes a pair of face to face pouch sections with a Number Name Date flap in an inner face of one or" the pouch sections control- 5 1,771,429 Wisbith July 29, 1930 Eng access to said pouch section and a fastener for said 2,596,412 Kish et al May 13, 1952 ap formed with a looped member, a strap having one end portion anchored on a lower portion of one of the FOREIGN PATENTS pouch sections and insertable through the looped member Number Country Date to anchor the fastener against operation, and means for 10 437,876 Great Britain Nov. 6, 1935 locking the other end portion of the strap to the other of said pouch sections to hold the pouch sections in juxtaposition and to confine the looped member on the strap.

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