Patent GB-1208113-A (GB)
Title: An expansible container
Inventor: DYKE HERBERT GORDON
IPC: A45C7/00
Filed: 1967-09-19
Abstract: 1,208,113. Expansible-contractible case. H. G. DYKE. 19 Sept., 1967, No. 42525/67. Heading A4G. [Also in Division E2] A case expands and contracts at a joint which runs round a whole periphery and is closed by means of a slide fastener 42a, 42b, Fig. 5, that connects the joint edges; a flexible collar 23 attached to the joint edges folds along its length underneath the fastener. When the fastener is opened, the two fastener tracks and attached joint edges can be pulled apart, the flexible collar unfolding to fill the joint gap, expanding one dimension of the case. One end 41 of the fastener is always closed, and here the tracks 42a, 42b, leave the joint edges to converge across the collar, to which they are secured. Some undefined other releasable fastener, such as metal or plastic stays, may close the joint for part of its circumference in place of the slide fastener. The slide fastener may run twice round the periphery, as shown, so that the case may be doubly expanded, Fig. 5, singly expanded, when the joint is as in Fig. 7, or fully contracted. A separate fastener or fasteners 11-13, Fig. 10, is or are provided for access in the usual way to the inside of the case or to each of its compartments; Fig. 10 shows two single expansion joints 20, 30 using nylon coil zippers. Forms of cases described include a brief case; canvas air flight bag with a fibreboard reinforcing floor 59 (Fig. 23) whose edges 60 fold up when the case is contracted; shoe case, Fig. 42, shown with one expanded joint and one contracted; tote case, Fig. 46, in which the collars 91, 92 are of varying width; and expansible pockets on a golf or other bag. A combination case, Fig. 29, comprises a large-area car case 74 that can be folded over a case 72 and secured to it at 76, both these cases being expansible; the case 74 can be used separately in folded form with its limits held together by the fastenings 76. Materials used include soft leather or plastics, flexible laminates, canvas and heavy nylon. The bottom, top and shoulders may have fibreboard reinforcements. The slide fastener may be the conventional metal teeth, nylon coil, or bead and channel type. A reinforcing web 44 (Fig. 9) of material that does not stretch along its length may be sewn or cemented diagonally across the inside of the collar at opposite ends of the case. To protect the fastener, feet may be provided on either side of each fastener and protective straps or flaps of leather or plastics, hinged by heavy fabric latchabie one over the other across the top of the case, to cover the gap between the fastener ends. The bottom of the case may be protected by riveting to the collar a stiff elastomeric bar 47, Fig. 10, with its long edges folded over into tubes 48a, 48b which serve as feet; or by using an elastomeric bead-and-channel fastener continuously extruded integrally with the collar and with bindings for the edges of the joint. For metal-teeth fasteners 24a, 24b, Fig. 62, a J-shaped guard strip 140 of elastomeric material such as rubber may cover each track, the strip wrapping round the teeth in a relaxed condition when the fastener is open, and the two strips being forced open to overlap as shown above the closed fastener; the strip may be formed integrally with binding strips for the joint edges. Nylon coil zippers may be protected by attaching the zip to the joint edges with the coils facing inside.