Untitled record

Application filed June 5,1895. Serial Bo. 551,752. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Frank J. Palica, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and 5 useful Improvements in Telescopic Trunks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference io marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in telescopic trunks or traveling-cases or those in which the body of the trunk consists of 15 two pieces or parts, one of which is larger than the other and slides vertically within the other for the purpose of increasing the depth of the trunk, and to that form of such telescopic trunks in which the same are pro20 vided with adjustable securing devices by which the sliding parts may be secured rigidly or immovably to each other in any desired position.

The invention consists of the matters here25 inafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the telescopic case or trunk embody30 ing my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section of one end of the trunk shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail face view of the fastening device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 35 3. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary interior perspective view of a locking device for the telescopic parts differing somewhat from that shown in the figures of the draw40 ings before mentioned. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of the latch shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a horizontal plan view of the same. Fig. 9 is a rear view of the locking device shown in Figs. 6 to §.

As illustrated in said drawings, A indicates the lower telescopic part or section, and B the upper telescopic part or section, of the trunk. Said sections A and B form the body of the trunk, and the lower section A has at5 0 tached to it the trunk-bottom a² and is adapted to slide within the upper or exterior part B. The top of the body is provided with a hinged lid C, the same being secured to the upper margin of the said outer part B. The upper edge or mouth of the upper part B is provided 55 with a strengthening-frame b, which is attached to its inner edge and serves to stiffen or give strength to the same, the said frame projecting inwardly from the upper edge of the said part B and forming a projecting 60 flange or ledge thereon. The lower part A consists of two end walls a a and two side walls a' a', the lower margins of which are connected with a bottom a², said walls being made of relatively thia material, and the said 65 part A being adapted to fit within the end and side walls b' b² of the part B below the ledge b, which latter will rest upon the top edge of the part A when the telescopic parts are collapsed, or, in other words, when the 70 trunk is in its most compact or smallest form.

The lid C may be connected by any usual form of hinges with the part B, the same asherein shown, being made also of thin material, consisting of atop wall c and side and end 75 walls o', connected therewith, same being stiffened by means of a rectangular frame C', located within the side and end walls adjacent to the top wall, so that its margin will rest upon the top edges of the body part B when the 80 cover is closed in an obvious manner.

The fastenings or securing devices to which this invention more especially relates are located within the trunk and are accessible only from the interior of same. These de- 85 vices, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, are constructed as follows: D D are verticallyarranged straps of sheet metal or other suitable material, which straps are secured adjacent to the inner faces of the end walls b² b² 90 of the top B and are secured at their upper and lower ends to said top by a suitable form of permanent connection. In the particular construction illustrated the ends of the straps D D are bent or folded over the upper and 9'5 lower edges of the said end walls b² b² and are secured by means of rivets passing through the end walls and through the end portion d of the straps, which are bent or folded outside of the said end walls. The straps at their 100 upper ends rest against the inner faces of the strips forming the ends of the frame b, by which they are sustained at a distance from the inner surface of said end walls. Said

587,487 straps D D are each provided with a plurality of equally-spaced holes cl'. Ε E indicate catches or fastening devices secured to the upper margins of the end walls a'of the lower telescopic part A and adapted for engagement with the straps D D by or through the medium of movable pins or bolts forming parts of said catches and which engage the holes in the straps.

Each of the catches Ε E (shown in Figs. 1 to 5) is constructed as follows: E' is a metal plate or casting which is secured to the upper edge of the end wall a' conveniently by means of flat lugs e e, which reach over the adjacent parts of the end wall and are secured thereto lay rivets, said plate or casting being preferably located within a hole or recess cut in said wall in the manner illustrated.

F indicates a hinged latch-lever which is pivoted to the plate E' and is provided with a bolt/, which is adapted to pass through ,a hole c³ in the plate E' in a direction at right angles to the plate. Against the exterior face of the plate E' is secured a strip E³, and the central part of said plate is recessed, so as to form with the strip E³ a vertical recess or passage E³, through which passes the strap D, said plate and strap forming in effect a loop on the inner part B, which engages and slides vertically on the strap when the parts of the trunk are relatively moved or shifted.

The latch-lever F is pivoted to the plate E' at one side of the passage E³ by means of a vertical pivot /', which passes through the said latch-lever and through suitable lugs on the plate E' in the manner illustrated. The latch-lever is adapted to rest flat against the inner surface of the plate E' when the bolt / thereof is engaged with the strap D, but is adapted to be swung away from said plate, so as to withdraw said bolt for engagement· with said strap when turned on its pivot, said latch-lever being provided with a finger or thumb piece /³, by which it may be easily engaged by the finger for swinging or moving it. As a further improvement in a latch of this character I provide the said latch-lever F, at a point adjacent to its pivot, with a laterally-projecting flat-faced lug /³. which is adapted to bear against a spring F', which spring acts against the said projection in such manner as to hold the latch-lever either in its open or closed position and to require the application of some force to the latch-lever in order to turn or move same against the action of the spring.

In the particular construction of the latch shown in said figures above referred to the spring F' consists of a straight strip of springmetal arranged vertically at the inner face of the plate E', beneath the cross-strip E³, and secured at its upper and lower ends to said plate by means of lips or projections e², located near the upper and lower margins of the plate and overlapping the ends of said spring, said lips being bent or forced downwardly against the spring to hold the same firmly in position. The spring thus secured is free at its middle part to move inwardly and outwardly under pressure of the lug /⁸ 70 as the latch-lever is turned on its pivot.

An advantage is gained by arranging the latch-lever horizontally and mounting it on a vertical pivot, for the reason that when the latch-lever is horizontal the locking-bolt / 75 thereof may be made straight instead of being curved concentrically with the pivot of the latch, and the holes in the plate E' and in the strap may⁷ be elongated horizontally to permit the free passage of the straight bolt So without detriment to the action of the device, it being obvious that in this construction the straight bolt will be engaged at its upper and lower sides only with the holes in the strap for the purpose of holding or locking the 85 parts of the case from relatively vertical movement. The making of the lever with a straight bolt is preferred because cheaper and more simple to construct than one with a curved bolt.· By making the plate E with 90 a hole for the bolt and arranging the latchlever horizontally, moreover, an advantage is gained by reason of the fact that in this construction upward and downward strains are brought on the said plate by contact of 95 the bolt therewith instead of coming solely on the hinge of the latch-lever, it being obvious that the latch-lever will yield sufficiently at its free end to enable the bolt to rest against the top or bottom edge of the 100 hole in the plate without injury to or bringing any great strain upon the pivot of said latch-lever.

In Figs. 6 to 9 I have shown a construction generally similar to that illustrated in the fig- 105 ures above mentioned, but differing therefrom somewhat in detail. As illustrated in these, latter figures, the parts of the trunk and the straps D are made in the same manner as hereinbefore described. In this in- no stance, however, I have illustrated the straps as being made of leather or canvas instead of sheet metal and as being provided with eyelets d² d² surrounding the holes therein in order to prevent injury to the straps by theac- 115 tion of the holding-bolts of the catches. The said catches D in this instance generally resemble the catches illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, same in this instance being of somewhat more simple form and being made as follows: Each 120 of said catches consists of a casting or shell H, provided with an integral plate IT at its outer face, which plate II' is arranged parallel with the body of the shell and forms a vertical passage or opening II³ for the strap D, 125 and, from the fact that it passes around or outside of the strap, forming a loop by which the strap is held in engagement with the inner part of the trunk while allowing the latter to slide freely in the outer part. Said shell is 130 also provided with, lateral flanges h h, which overlap the outer face of the part A of the trunk and are secured thereto by rivets, as shown. A latch-lever I is employed in this

587,487 case, which is generally similar to the latchlever hereinbefore described, the same having a bolt i and being pivoted by means of a vertical pivot i' to Ings in the shell H, said pivot being arranged at one side of the passage II². The latch-lever is provided with an upwardly - extending finger - piece i² for convenience in manipulating the same. Adjacent to its pivot the latch-lever is provided with a square-ended projection i^s, adapted to act upon one end of the leaf-spring J, which is attached at one end to the inner face of the shell conveniently by means of a rivet, as shown in Fig. 9.

While I have shown connecting-straps and fastening devices as located at the ends only of the trunk illustrated, yet it will be obvious that any desired number, of such straps and fastening devices maybe employed and that they may be located at the sides instead of the ends of the trunk or both at the sides and ends, as may be found preferable or convenient. The top or lid C of the trunk, made as described, will of course be pro Added with a suitable handle by which the trunk may be lifted, as common in such articles.

The adjustable fastening device described for connecting the two telescopic parts of the trunk not only has the advantage of being cheap and durable in construction, but of possessing the strength necessary to withstand rough usage to which such trunks or cases are subjected in traveling and of affording great ease and convenience of adjustment Avhen it is desired to increase or decrease the depth of the trunk. For increasing the size of the trunk it is only necessary to throw inwardly the tAvo latch-levers, lift the upper part of the trunk the desired distance, and then close or throw outwardly the levers to reengage the bolts with the holes in the straps. If it be desired to shorten or make smaller the trunk, the holding-bolts are similarly released from the straps, the outer or upper part of the trunk depresses on the lower or inner part, and the latches then reengage with the straps.

The straps arranged as described—that is to say, attached at both their upper and lower ends to the outer part of the trunk—are adapted to best withstand strains coming on the trunk in both directions—that is to say, when the trunk is being carried about by its handle the Aveight of the contents Avill tend to force the bottom part downwardly, and thus bring a downAvard strain or the tension on the straps, such downward strain coming on the fastenings by which the upper ends of the straps are secured to the upper edges of the outer part of the trunk-body. If, howeA’er, the trunk, when extended or partially extended, be allowed to rest on the floor and a heavy object be placed on its top, as might occur by a person sitting on it, then the strain will be exerted on the straps in the opposite direction, and the lower ends of the straps 65 would be under tension, the strain in such case coming on the fastenings which secure the lower ends of the straps to the exterior part of the trunk. The securing devices by Avhich the two parts of the trunk are adjust- 70 ably held in proper relations to each other are therefore adapted to withstand strains of either kind without injury thereto or liability of breakage thereof.

A further important advantage gained by 75 securing the straps to the outer telescopic part at their lower ends and providing the inner part Avith loops through which the straps pass arises from the fact that by this contraction complete detachment of the parts 80 is rendered impossible, so that the inconvenience is avoided of accidental separation of the upper from the lower part, such as might occur in case a person sought to lift the trunk by grasping the handle on its top at a time 85 when the catches had been left disengaged from the straps.