US1920393A - Container and holder unit - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1933'. w. JAY

CONTAINER AND HOLDER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1931 INVENTOR 14 391717 clay BY QMQQAAAL" ATTORNEY Aug. 1, 1933. w. JAY 1,920,393

CONTAINER AND HOLDER UNIT Filed Sept. 8, 1931v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Web clay BY Q mm:

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 8, 1931 Serial No. 561,630

4 Claims.

This invention relates to containersand the supporting means thereof and particularly relates to a device of this character adapted to be mounted in connection with the dashboard of a motor vehicle, to hold cigarette packages and other small articles which it may be necessary or desirable to keep in a handy position in the car. i

The principal object of my invention is to provide a container and supporting structure particularly designed for the above use which is arranged to be mounted in connection with the dashboard in such a manner that both the support and container are practically concealed from normal view, and so that no drilling or marring of the dashboard or interference with the various instruments thereon is had.

The container is adapted to be pulled out from its normally relatively concealed position when it is desired to use the same and another object of my invention is to arrange the container and its support so that when the container is thus withdrawn its lid is automatically opened.

The same hand used to pull out the container may therefore be instantly used to remove any desired article from the container; while at the same time the contents of the container are normally covered and protected from dirt and dust.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective outline of the drivers compartment of a motor vehicle showing my improved container in its advanced and open posi tion.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container and its support detached.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure showing the container retracted and closed.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the structure with a modified mounting of the container lid.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, and particularly at present to Figs. 1 to 4, 1 denotes a C-clamp adapted to be attached to the forwardly projecting flange 2 now commonly provided along the lower edge of the instrument or dashboard 3 of a motor vehicle. Projecting forwardly from the clamp and dashboard is a horizontal U- shaped rigid support comprising upper and lower bars 4 and 5 connected together at their forward ends. At its rear end the upper bar is provided with an upstanding slotted flange 6 abutting against the back of the clamp l and adjustably secured thereto by a bolt 7. In this manner the support may be maintained in a desired horizontal position even though the C-clamp is set on a transverse slope as might be necessitated by the contour of the flange 2.

- The container 8 is of rectangular form and removably fits in a holder 8a of a similar form. The holder has a pair of channel shaped rails 9 secured thereunder in facing relation to each 5 other and extending ahead of the holder some distance; these rails slidably engaging the edges of the lower bar 5. The container is provided with a lid 10 hinged along its back edge (or its forward edge relative to the vehicle) and the height of the container and lid together are such that they will fit closely under the upper bar 4. The length of the container and holder from front to back is practically equal to the length of the upper bar 4. A spring 11 is mounted on the holder to engage the lid and tends to open the same, so that when the container is pulled out or clear of the support, the lid is then free to move to a vertical open position as shown in Fig. 1.

When the container is pushed back the engagement of the lid with the upper bar 4 causes the lid to be gradually closed. The length of the rails beyond the container is such that the container may be pulled out a sufiicient distance clear of the support to allow the lid to clear the instrument board as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

To limit the outward movement of the holder a plate 12 having a longitudinal slot 13 therein is fixed on and under the rails, a pin 14 mounted in the bar 5 toward its rear end projecting through the slot. A finger grip member 15 is fixed to and depends from the rear end of the plate 12 so as to provide for easy manipulation of the container.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the arrangement of the container supporting structure is identical with that above described. The lid 10a is separate from the container or holder 8a however and is rigidly secured on and under the upper supporting bar 4. When the holder is pushed in so that it is disposed between the supporting bars the lid will cooperate with the holder to close the same. or the container therein, but when the holder ispulled out so as to clear the support it is then entirely open.

In either case the withdrawal of a cigarette or other article from the container is facilitated when the container is pulled out, while when the container is retracted it is automatically covered and its contents fully protected.

The lid opening-spring beingmounted in connection with the holder rather than the container itself, the latter may be removed from the holder at any time without removing or disturbing any part of the same.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus. described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a container, a support comprising upper and lower bars connected together at one end, means supporting the container from the lower bar for movement lengthwise thereof from a position over said bar to one beyond the free end of the upper bar, a lid hinged on the container along its edge nearest the connected ends of the bars, and a spring acting on the lid to raise the same; said container and lid when in closed relationship together fitting between the bars.

2. In combination, a container, a support including a fixed bar, means supporting the container from the bar for movement lengthwise thereof, a lid hinged on the container, means acting on the lid tending to open the same, and means between the lid and support to cause the lid to be moved to a closed position when the container occupies a certain position relative to the bar, and to be free to be opened by said opening means when the container occupies another position relative to the bar.

3. A container and supporting unit comprising a U shaped support having vertically spaced legs, a container slidably supported on the lower leg for movement lengthwise thereof and disposed in a plane between the legs, and a clamp for engagement with the instrument panel of a motor vehicle at its lower edge, mounted on the upper leg at its rear free end.

4. A container and supporting unit comprising a U shaped support having vertically spaced legs, a container slidably supported on the lower leg for movement lengthwise thereof and disposed in a plane between the legs, a flange upstanding from the outer free end of the upper leg, an element for clamping engagement with a fixed substantially horizontal surface abutting against the outer face of the flange, and an adjustable clamping pivot between the element and flange.

i WEBB JAY.

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