Suit-case on wheels with an incorporated dragging device

The invention relates to a suit-case on wheels with an incorporated dragging device, of the type comprising a grippable handle connected in an articulated manner to the suit-case body which is composed of two half-shells, wherein said handle is housed hidden in an extractable manner in a seat disposed in the roof zone of one of said half-shells, and is pivoted to a slider which is slidably guided in said seat.

Suit-cases are available which are slidable on wheels and are provided with 
a device which enables them to be more or less easily dragged along the 
ground. 
These dragging devices are mainly of two types. 
A first type comprises a sort of handle which is hinged at one end to one 
side of the suit-case so that it can be moved between two positions, 
namely a first non-operational position in which the handle is disposed 
vertically against the side of the suit-case, and a second operational 
position, substantially at 90.degree. to the first, in which the handle is 
rotated horizontally so that it can be gripped in order to drag the 
suit-case. In this case, the suit-case is dragged standing only on the two 
wheels opposite the handle, in a position inclined towards the carrier who 
proceeds in an erect position. This is because the height of the suit-case 
is never sufficient to reach the hand of the user, who holds his 
appropriate arm extended along his side. 
A second type of dragging device comprises a large handle mounted against 
one wall of the suit-case in a manner mobile between two positions, namely 
a first non-operational withdrawn position in which the handle is 
contained within the overall dimensions of the case, and a second 
operational position in which it is extracted so that it projects from one 
side of the suit-case to be gripped for dragging the suit-case. In this 
case, the suit-case is dragged with its load bearing on the wall provided 
with the handle, on two wheels opposite this latter and inclined towards 
the carrier. Both the dragging devices heretofore described suffer from 
the same drawbacks, namely that they negatively influence the appearance 
of the suit-case, and always require a certain physical force for 
transportation, because the suit-case must always be partly lifted from 
the ground. 
The object of the present invention is to obviate the aforesaid drawbacks, 
and this object is attained according to the invention by a suit-case on 
wheels with an incorporated dragging device, of the type comprising a 
grippable handle connected in an articulated manner to the suit-case body 
which is composed of two half-shells, wherein said handle is housed hidden 
in an extractable manner in a seat disposed in the roof zone of one of 
said half-shells, and is pivoted to a slider which is slidably guided in 
said seat. 
Preferably, said slider is provided with means for its snap-connection to a 
control knob housed at that end of said seat distant from the end from 
which said handle is extracted, said knob being also provided with 
actuator means arranged to release said snap-connection with the slider.

With reference to the drawings, the suit-case according to the invention is 
indicated overall by 10, and is of the type provided with four slide 
wheels 11. 
According to the present invention, the suit-case 10 is provided with a 
dragging device of the hidden type which, when in its non-operational 
position is completely contained in a tubular seat 12 mounted in the roof 
of one of the two half-shells 13 which make up the suit-case. 
The dragging device according to the invention comprises a cylindrical 
handle 14 with a grip 15. At the end distant from 15, the handle 14 is 
pivoted by a pin 16 to a terminal fork 17 of a slider 18. At the end 
distant from 17, the slider 18 is provided with an axial stem composed of 
three resiliently yieldable tongues 19, each terminating in a retention 
tooth 20. The teeth 20 are bevelled at 21, and are arranged to snap-engage 
in an annular undercut 22 of a socket 23 forming part of an operating knob 
24 slidable in a fixed bush 25. The socket 23 is mobile on a tubular 
extension 26 of the knob 24 against the action of a spring 27 which acts 
between the knob and the socket. 
A spring 28, more powerful than the spring 27, acts between the socket 23 
and the slider 18. 
A pair of diametrically opposing pins 29, engaged between guides 30 of the 
seat 12, ensure the correct sliding of the slider 18 and its required 
angular positioning. The pins 31 on the knob 24 serve the same purpose. 
In addition, a bush 32, equal and opposite to the bush 25, provides for the 
guided exit of the grip 15 from the seat 12. The operation of the dragging 
device according to the invention is apparent from the aforegoing 
description, and briefly takes place in the following manner. 
When it is required to extract the grip 15 from the position shown in FIG. 
2 and move it into the position shown in FIG. 1, it is only necessary to 
push the knob 24 in the direction of the arrow F (FIG. 2) until the 
extension 26 presses the resilient teeth inwards (FIG. 5) so that they 
disengage from the undercut 22. Consequently, the spring 28, which is more 
powerful than the spring 27, pushes the slider 18 and the handle 14 into 
the position of FIG. 4, in which the grip 15 emerges from the body of the 
suit-case so that it can be gripped and completely extracted into the 
position of FIG. 1. It is apparent that when the grip 15 is in this 
position, it can be rotated well above the suit-case by virtue of the 
pivot 16, so that it can be comfortably gripped by the user without 
lifting the suit-case, which can be dragged along the ground on all four 
wheels, and thus with the minimum effort. 
The handle 14 can be returned to the position of FIG. 2 by inserting it 
into the seat 12 until the teeth 20 are caused to snap-engage in the 
undercut 22 of the socket 23. 
A dragging device of the hidden type is thus provided which in no way 
detracts from the appearance of the suit-case, and which at the same time 
enables it to be comfortably transported on four wheels, i.e. without any 
need for partial lifting of the suit-case.