Brief case book

May 3, 1938. h. e. kranhold 2,115,993

BRIEF CASE BOOK

Filed April 6, 1932 ‘

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Patented May 3, 1938

2,115,993

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,113,993

BRIEF CASE BOOK

Harry E. Kranhold, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to

Brown &amp; Bigelow, St. Paul, Minh., a corporation Of Minnesota

Application April 6, 1932, Serial No. 603,587

Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in brief case books which are made of leather or other similar flexible material, and applicant provides a brief case in the form of, a book so that ⁵ the same may be opened up with the sides lying flat when the case is wide open.

A feature of the invention resides in forming the main body portion out of a single piece of leather, or similar material, and securing to the ¹⁰ marginal edges of that portion of the body which opens up, a flexible inter-engaging locking means which is adapted to be operated by a runner which acts as a key to lock and unlock the free _J5 edges of the brief, case when it is desired.

^J It is also a feature to provide a means of locking the runner against movement in a novel manner. I am aware of other means of locking runners. However, so far as I know, the means and construction which I have disclosed herein 20 are believed to be new and of a more practical nature than has been accomplished heretofore.

It is a feature to provide a brief case which will open up so that the sides will lie flat and to form in the same large pockets having the open25 ings in the same towards the center of the brief case so that papers carried in the pocket will not project toward the outer interlocking edges of the brief case book.

A further object of the brief case is to provide a ³⁰ brief case book having means secured to the body of the brief case adapted to act as a loose-leaf holder so that sheets may be supported by the same and carried in book form in the brief case. Thus the construction in this form comprises an ·'' important feature of the invention.

These together with other details and objects will be more fully and clearly set forth in the specification and claims.

In the drawing forming part of this specifica⁴⁰ tion:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the brief case book.

Figure 2 is a plan view of my brief case book in ,. open position.

^1J Figure 3 is a section on the line 3—3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4—4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail showing a form of locking means and a new form of runner for the ₅₀ flexible lock for the edges of the brief case.

Figure 6 is a perspective detail of another form of locking means for my brief case.

The brief case A is formed with its body portion of a single piece of leather, or other strong 55 flexible material, and the side walls 10 and 11 (CI. 281—29) iconstitute the main portion of. the body of the same.

Within the sides 10 and 11 of the brief case A, I provide large pockets 12 and 13 having their, open edges 12' and 13' toward the center of the ⁵brief case A while the other three sides of the pockets 12 and 13 are secured by suitable stitching to the walls 1D and 11 of the brief case A, the stitching being placed as close to the free edge, of the walls 10 and I i as possible so as to give a large well-formed pocket in each side 10 and 11 of the case. Each of. the pockets 12 and 13 are formed with gussets 16 on the ends thereof to permit the free edges 12' and 13' to expand oropen to admit articles into the pockets 12 and 13¹⁵when it is desired and to lie flat when the pockets are comparatively empty or only contain sheets or flat material. The body of the brief case A is made in book-like formation. Secured to the marginal edge on the inner sides, 10 and 11, is a 20 flexible locking means 14 which is made up of a series of hook members which are adapted to interlock with each other when the locking means 14 is moved to closed position and to release when the same is opened. 25

I provide a runner key 17 which is pulled along by the finger tab 18 to lock and unlock the hooks of the locking means 14. The corners 15 of the case A are rounded to permit the free travel of the locking runner 17 in the locking and unlock- ³³ing of the flexible locking member 14. When the brief case book A is in open position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the runner key 17 is in the lower position illustrated. To lock the brief case the tab 18 is engaged and pulled around to the ³⁵other side of the brief case A which entirely closes and interlocks the edges of the brief case closing the same securely.

Directly through the center of the brief case A and in the portion which connects the sides 10 ⁴⁰and 11 I provide a loose-leaf holder B having a series of sheet-holding rings 19 which are operated to open the same by the finger key 20 at one end of the sheet-holding means B. The sheetholding means B is held by the outer reinforcing ⁴⁵plate 21 which extends along the outside of the case A as illustrated in Figure 4 and in Figure 1. The sheet holder B is adapted to provide a looseleaf holder so that sheets may be held within the brief case A if it is desired. When the brief case ⁵⁰A is used in this manner, it performs the functions of a book and the sheets held by the sheetholding means B may be turned from side 10 to the side II in the same manner as sheets are ₆₅

2,115,993 turned in a book. This brief case has the advantage of giving a loose-leaf formation with the locking means 14 which closes or seals the free edges of the brief case so as to entirely close the same. The closing of the brief case A is very quick and convenient. The member 21 may be slotted at 22 to receive the loose tongue 23 which is formed with a hole 24 on its outer free end.

This permits the lock 25 to be passed through the hole 24 and through the hole 26 in the tab 18. When the lock 25 is in this position as illustrated in Figure 6, the brief case is locked closed so that the runner key i 7 cannot be moved to unlock the brief case A.

I provide a new form of runner key i7 which is adapted to operate on the flexible locking means 14 as illustrated in Figure 5. The portion 27 of the brief case A in this illustration may be provided with an eye 29 to form a hole through the same so as to receive the shackle of the lock 28. Projecting from the runner key 17 I form an integral loop 30 through which the shackle of the lock 28 may engage so that when the shackle is engaged through the eye 29 and through the loop

30 it will lock the runner key 17 independent of the tab 18. In this form of the runner key 17 the loop 30 may be integral with the body of the runner key 17 which is of a metal very hard and not easily broken, such as steel or other hard ma30 terial, which will protect the locking of the runner key 17. This forms a strong locking means which cannot be easily broken and is believed to be far better than where the tab 10 is locked by means of a lock such as 28 or 25.

My brief case book may be made in any size desired and it is adapted to provide a flat brief case wherein loose-leaf sheets may be held readily and with the pockets 12 and 13 other papers and articles may be contained conveniently in the book brief case A. In this brief case book A resides the convenience of carrying legal papers, sales papers and any other data which one wishes to carry in the brief case and owing to its flat compact nature it is very desirable. 5

The novel means of locking the edges by the flexible member 14 accomplishes a result which is very much desired by those having occasion to use a brief case of this character.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have 10 described the principles of my book brief case and while I have illustrated a particular formation and construction of the same, it should be understood that the invention should be interpreted within the scope of the following claims. 15