Convertible hand bag

Oct 29, 1935.

2,018,809

L. J. RODGERS

CONVERTIBLE HAND BAG

Filed June 5, 1935

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Oct. 29, 1935. l. j. rodgers 2,018,809

CONVERTIBLE HAND BAG Filed June 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Oct. 29, 1935

2,018,809

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,018,809

CONVERTIBLE HAND BAG Leo J. Rodgers, Highland Park, Mich.

Application June 5, 1935, Serial No. 25,136 5 Claims. (Cl. 190—43)

My present invention relates to an improved convertible hand bag which may readily be converted into various shapes, and employed for various purposes; as a shopping bag, a satchel, a 5 kit-case, a carrier for a foldable umbrella or ' parasol, a pocket-book, and other carrying-receptacles.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a hand bag which .may with facility be 10 quickly transformed from one shape to another shape, in order to adapt the bag for use as a receptacle in which different commodities of various sizes and shapes may conveniently be carried or stored, and the bag itself may also be 15 readily compacted into small compass for .storage when not in use.

In carrying out my invention I make provision for two compartments in the bag, which compartments are commodious and adapted for con20 venient storage of flat articles, and the bag which is fashioned with extended ends is provided with an opening or mouth of sufficient capacity to permit the insertion or stowing away of articles of considerable length, as for instance, a folded 25 parasol or umbrella. The bag may also be readily converted into a single compact compartment in which a lunch box, or other receptacle of similar nature may be stored when using the bag as a kit-case. Under such conditions the kit-case may 30 be employed as an arm rest by motorists and other travellers.

In carrying out my invention I fashion the bag with foldable top and ends of flexible material, and foldable bottom sections, the latter being 35. stiffened or semi-rigid, for performance of the functions of a .brace or reinforcement to maintain the shape of the bag, thereby dispensing with the necessity for use of rigid frames and distending devices.

The closure or fastening device for the mouth or opening of the bag is fashioned in such manner as to perform its functions with facility, regardless of the shape of the converted bag, and the closure device is always readily accessible 45- for use when required.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts for accomplishing the objects and purposes noted above as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and 50- claimed. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the 55 practical application of the principles of my invention. It will be understood, however, that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplifying structures, within the scope of my appended claims, without departing from the principles of the invention. ®

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hand bag embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the bag showing the hinged foldable bottom in flattened shape, and the snap fastener for the two bottom sections.

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the bag of Figure 1, showing the infolded top and bottom portions of the bag to form partitions and spaced compartments within the bag.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bag in the ¹⁸form or shape of a pocket book, or satchel, having a flat bottom.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form or shape of the bag, in the nature of a lunch-kit, or kit-case that is adapted to be used as an arm- ⁸⁰rest.

In the preferred form of my invention the body portion is fashioned of a piece of leather or other suitable, flexible material, and the body comprises the rectangular side walls I and 2, and the rectangular bottom, the whole preferably being formed with an ornamental and reinforcing binding, border, or rim 3. The foldable, sectional bottom comprises two lateral parts 4 and 5 having foldable joints 4' and 5' with the side walls I and 2 of the bag, and the sectional bottom is fashioned with a central, longitudinal hinge 6. These three foldable joints permit the bottom to be infolded as in Figures 1 and 3, or the bottom may be flattened as in Figures 4 and 5.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 3 the foldable bottom is provided with two spaced, flat strips 7 and 8 that are embedded in the respective sections in suitable manner, and these strips, which .. are of rigid material, reinforce and brace the ⁴⁰bottom of the bag for the purpose of maintaining its shape.

On the exterior face of the bottom sections of the bag are mounted the complementary members of a snap fastener, or other quick detachable ⁴⁵fastening, here shown as a head 9 and a complementary socket 10, located near the foldable edges 5' and 4', and adapted to hold the bottom of the bag when the latter or bottom is infolded as in Figures 1 and 3. ⁶⁰

The bag is fashioned with any suitable handles, as the loops 11 and 12 that are attached in appropriate manner to the outer faces of the two side walls of the bag, and between the attached ends of these loops a retaining flap 13 is pref- ⁶⁸

2,018,809 erably employed. The retaining flap may be fashioned in the shape of a pocket, as indicated in Figure 1, for the reception of a handkerchief, small change, tickets, and other articles, and one 5 end of the flap is secured, as by stitching at 14 along the upper edge of one side wall of the bag. The flap may overhang the other side wall of the bag and be secured to this latter wall by a snap fastener indicated at 15, for closely retain¹⁰ ing the two split portions of the bag in Figures and 3. In the shapes to which the bag is converted in Figures 4 and 5, where the flap is not required to retain the parts of the split bag, the flap may hang down over the side wall of the ¹⁶ bag to which it is attached, and the pocket of the flap is readily accessible for use.

Preferably the two ends and the top portion of the bag are fashioned of a single piece of rather heavy material that is flexible, and yet ²⁰ of the required weight and strength to maintain ' the folded shapes into which these parts are converted.

One end, 16, of the bag is entirely closed, and ·□ the other end IT is partially open, the lower ²⁵ portion of this end IT being closed as indicated. The top portion and part of the end IT is slitted or slotted to form an opening at 18, which extends from end to end of the top and partially - down one end IT of the bag, and this opening ³⁰ or mouth of the bag is closed by means of a well known type of slidable multiple separable fasteners or closures, including the parts 19, slide 20, and the holding loops 21 and 21α at the opposite ends of the slitted opening. By grasping in ³⁵ one hand the leather loop, the slide 20 may be grasped in the other hand, and then by sliding the slide away from the loop the mouth of the bag may be opened, or the mouth may be closed, as the case may be.

⁴⁰ By the slitting or slotting of the top portion, the latter is thus formed in two flaps 22 and 23 that are adapted to infold from the top of the bag in direction opposite to the infolding of the bottom sections of the bag, and in Figure 1 45 of the drawings the mouth of the bag is closed in a straight horizontal line by the fastener, as indicated by dotted lines.

In Figure 5 where the bag is converted into a kit-case of rectangular shape, with the top and ⁵⁰ the ends in flat formation, I have indicated by dotted lines 24 and 25 that extend diagonally at the ends of the bag, and the two parallel lines 27 and 28 that extend longitudinally from end to end of the top of the bag, how the ends and ⁶⁵ the top portions of the bag are folded to provide the projecting ends of the bag. Thus the material forming the top and two ends of the bag is fashioned in such manner that by infolding the hinged bottom and by infolding the split or sec6° tional top, the two ends are caused to project outwardly from the body of the bag. These infolded portions provide upper and lower longitudinally extending interior partitions 29 and 30 respectively, and the partitions provide two 65 commodious, separated compartments 31 and 32 in the interior of the bag for the reception and storage of various commodities or articles. The partitions fashioned by infolding the bottom and top of the bag provide compartments in which 70 the various articles may be stowed and kept separated, and of course the slide-fastener 19 which extends across the bottom portion of the upper partition 29 secures the whole bag, by closing its entire mouth.

In Figure 4 where the bottom 4—5 is flattened out, the sectional top 22—23 only, is infolded, to 5 form the upper partition and the slide fastener extends straight and horizontally from one projecting end 26 to the other projecting end 26. In this illustrated form of the bag, the latter may be used as a satchel or a pocketbook. 10

In Figure 5, where the bag is converted for use as an arm rest, the rectangular shape of the bag is adapted to receive a rectangular box or boxes of complementary shape, for use as a kit or kit-case, and in this arrangement of parts the 15 kit-case may be used as an arm rest.