US2042387A - Carrying case - Google Patents

Description

Ma-y 26, 1936. D, F CQBB 2,042,387

CARRYING CASE Filed July 9, 1935 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 May 26, 1936, D, F, COBB 2,042,387

CARRYING CASE Filed July 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4Claims.

My present invention relates to carrying cases and more particularly applied in the present application to portable vacuum cleaners in which all the tools and attachments may be readily and easily carried from one room to another and have the accessibility so much desired by the house-wife and others who have use for such equipment.

The principal object of my invention is an imy proved carrying case;

Another object is an improved carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like in which the cleaner may be housed together with all of its attachments, tools and electrical cord;

Still another object is an improved carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like which can be either carried in the hand of the operator or may be rolled along behind or in front of the operator at will passing around and between furniture without colliding with such furniture and causing damage to it, and

Other objects and novel features comprising the construction and operation of my invention will appear as the discription of the same progl'eSSES.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing the case closed as when being transported by means of the carrying handle;

Fig. 2 is another side elevation similar to Fig. 1 but showing the case in use with the tool compartment cover being held open by means of the Working handle;

Fig. 3 is aA plan view of the case as illustrated in the side elevation shown at Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation;

Fig. 5 is a front end elevation;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 7 is detail cross-section taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 1 being a fragmentary plan view of the front bottom portion of the case showing the locking member for holding the vacuum cleaner 45 in place, the fragmentary side walls of the case being in cross-section.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, I indicates the carrying case, hereinafter referred to as case which is composed of a bottom II; a top 50 portion I2, and two side portions I3 and I4 preferably composed from one piece of sheet materlal.

On the bottom II I have attached four ballbearlng swivel casters I at the four corners.

55 These casters are provided with cushion rubber (Cl. 28o-50) wheels I6 such that when rolled along polished floors no damage to the polished surface will occur.

On the inner front top portion of'the case III adjacent the side I3 I have provided a tool compartment I1 being closed on both ends and all sides except an opening I8 located in the side I3 of the said case I0 through which tools and small equipment may be inserted or withdrawn by the operator. Closing the opening I8 in the case I0 is a cover I9 which I have hinged at 20 to the top I2 of the case I0.

On the front end of the case I0 I have provided a working handle 2 I, the free ends being pivoted through the sides I3 and I4 of the case II) such that the handle 2I can be brought forward as shown in dotted lines for the purpose of rolling the case II! along the oor of a room and for turning and guiding the case around furniture or other obstacles. When the case is in operation, as when the vacuum cleaner is being used, the working handle 2| is turned back over the cover I9 as shown in solid lines in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 and when in this position the cover I9 is locked in an open position. When the case I0 is being carried by the handle 22, as in the case of a salesman going from house to house demonstrating, or when the case I0 and cleaner is not being used, the working handle 2I is placed down over the closed cover I9 as shown in Figs. l and 2 thereby holding the said cover I9 in a closed position better shown in Fig. 6. The working handle ZI is substantially formed in the shape of a rectangle in its normal condition, the two free ends being sprung outwardly for the purpose of engaging such ends through the. sides I3 and I4 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.. Owing to the fact that the handle 2l is provided with the spring tension as above described it will maintain an upright position wherever placed so that it is always easily grasped by the operator whenever he or she desires to wheel the case into another position or to hold the cover I9 of the tool compartment I1 in a closed position.

Opposite the tool compartment I1 and adja- 45 cent the back side I4 of the case I0 I have placed a shelf 23 one end 24, at the extreme rear end of the case I0 being closed both above and below the shelf 23, the front end being open. Above the shelf 23 and in the end member 24 I have 50 provided an opening 25. The purpose of the shelf 23 is to provide a compartment for the extension tubes of the cleaner hose which are usually made in two pieces each piece being approximately the length of the shelf 23, but when it is desired to temporarily leave the extension members assembled together one end of the extension members may be inserted through the opening 25 as shown in Fig. 1.

In the type of vacuum cleaner shown in broken lines in the drawings there are side runners 26 attached to the sides oi' the cleaner. On the iront end o1' the bottom II of the case I0 I have provided a clip member 21, better shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7, under which one of the runners is clamped. On the opposite side I have provided an angle stop member 28 against which the opposite runner 26 is abutted, to the effect, that the cleaner is secured from sliding out of the case when the apparatus is being used unless it is desired to actually remove such cleaner. The tension of the clip 21 is made such that under ordinary conditions the cleaner will not easily slide out of the case but can be withdrawn at will.

When the cleaner is in the case i0 as shown in Fig. l'and the case is either being transported from place to place or not in use, the plug connection of the electrical cord from the cleaner is inserted in the slotted right-hand lower corner of the tool compartment as indicated at 30 there- 'by making it easy for the operator to locate the plug and pull out the cord which is coiled up inside oi.' the case ill and make a quick installation without having to hunt for the end of the cord or untangle it as often occurs in ordinary use. Also the exible rubber hose is folded up and placed inside the case I0 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 being already connected to the cleaner.

It will be seen that I have produced a handy carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like which can be carried from place to place; wheeled about the oor; piloted in and around furniture, or rolled from room to room, and at the same time keeping all equipment together in an accessible manner.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

1. A carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising in combination, a case wholly closed on the top, bottom and two sides and provided with rotatable casters on its bottom, a normally closed tool compartment located adjacent the top and one side and. normally closed, ahinged cover attached to the top of said case above said tool compartment, a working handle pivoted at its two ends through the two opposite sides of said case and adjacent one end thereof and provided for the purpose of moving said carrying case about when in use and for holding said tool compartment cover in place when in an open or closed position, a shelf located in the top of said case and adjacent said tool compartment one end of .which is closed except for a centrally located opening adapted to receive extension members comprising a part of the equipment of said vacuum cleaner, vacuum cleaner clamping and stop members ylocated on the inside bottom adjacent one end of said case tor the purpose of preventing the said vacuum cleaner from becoming accidently withdrawn from said carrying case.

2. A carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising in combination, a case having a top, bottom and two sides normally closed, rotatable casters attached to the bottom of said case, a, tool compartment located within said case and closed on all sides, a hinged cover located in the top and one side ot said case and communicating withsaid tool compartment, a tool shelf located adjacent said tool compartment said tool shelf being open on one end and partially closed on the opposite end, a pivoted handle compressibly and pivotally attached to one end of said case, the pivoted end of said handle being bent at forty-ve degrees to the rest of said handle for the purpose of forming a locking means for said hinged cover, clamping means located within said case for the purpose of clamping a vacuum cleaner to the bottom of said case, a slotted opening located in one side of said case for the purpose of holding the plug terminal `of an electrical cord attached to said vacuum cleaner.

3. A carrying case for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising in combination, a case having a top, bottom and two sides being open on one end and partially closed on the opposite end, a tool compartment located in the upper portion` of said case, a tool shelf located in the upper'portion of said case, one end of said shelf being open and the opposite end'being partially closed, a fulcrumated pivoted handle attached at one end of said case, a pivoted caster located at each corner on the under side ot said case, a hinged vcover attached to the outside of said case adapted to close an opening to said tool compartment.

4. A carrying `case for vacuum cleaners and the like comprising in combination, a casing having a top, bottom and two sides and rotatable swivel

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