US2937843A - Receptacles for automobiles and the like - Google Patents

Description

May 24, 1960 A. G. GOLDBERG 2,937,843

RECEPTACLES FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed April 7, 195a INVENTOR.

/5' F1 ABRA G. GOLDBER G 2,937,843 RECEPTACLES FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Abraham G. Goldberg, 11 Bellingham Road, Chestnut Hill 67, Mass.

Filed Apr. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 726,935

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-359) This invention is concerned with receptacles that are to be hung from dashboards in automobiles, clotheslines, and from other similartype objects, as well as receptacles which may be used as a desk basket or letterbox or silent butler or clothespin holder.

The particular receptacle described herein has been especially invented for use with an automobile and is arranged to be hung from the automobile dashboard, although as already mentioned, it may well be utilized with other objects.

On most public highways and on city streets there are ordinances and laws which require that people do not throw refuse and waste material from a moving motor vehicle upon the public way. Accordingly therehas been the need for some type of litter box or receptacle that can be utilized in the motor vehicle and which can be quickly installed and removed therefrom.

It is therefore an object of the within invention to provide a receptacle having a novel type holding means which may be locked into position and unlocked from that position.

It is another object of the within invention to provide a receptacle having a holding bracket for supporting the receptacle from a narrow type ledge, such as the flange or lip of the instrument board of a motor vehicle.

It is still another object of the within invention to provide a receptacle that has a holding means which may be adjustable for the purpose of both packing the receptacle in shipment and for utilizing the receptacle for other purposes, other than use with an automobile.

It is yet another object to provide a simple locking means for the holding means whereby the holding means and the locking means may be used for the purpose of holding letters, pencils and the like when the receptacle is used as a desk basket or the like.

These and other objects are obtained by the use of a hinged bracket attached to a point on the receptacle whereby the center of gravity of the receptacle is maintained in equilibrium 'from the point of suspension on the bracket. mounted upon the retaining lip of the holding means. The spring clip is under tension and at all times rests against the contacting portion of the holding means.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the receptacle and the holding means assembly.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the receptacle and the holding means assembly, looking up from the bottom of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the receptacle and holding means assembly, showing a pencil in dotted lines inserted within the holding means assembly.

Figure 4 is a side view illustrating a method by which the receptacle is held on the dashboard of an automobile.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the holding means as sembly, showing the locking clip in dotted lines, in part.

The locking device is a spring clip which is.

- dotted lines.

The receptacle, which may be any small type of waste basket, in this instance an eliptical shaped, three dimensional container, is designated by the numeral 1. At the middle portion in the upper area is mounted a bracket or holding means. This bracket, or holding means, comprises the retaining lip 2 and the short extension 3, which is connected to the lip 2. Attached to the short extension 3 is the arm 4. The arm 4 has two extensions 10, which are wrapped around at the ends, enabling a pin 14 to pass therethrough. The extensions 10 form an inlet or recess in which the extension 9 fits. The extension 9 protrudes from the mounting bracket, horizontal member 5, so as to form a hinge. Mounted above the extension 9 on a rivet 17 is a spring lip 15, which is slightly longer than the distance between the rivet 17 and the lip 2. This spring member 15 has tension and is always in contact with the lip 2 except when the'device is in engagement with the dashboard of a motor vehicle, as will be hereinafter mentioned, and as can be seen in the view of Figure 4.

- The mounting bracket, horizontal member 5, is integral with the vertical member 6 of the bracket. The member 6 is stapled to the receptacle 1, but it may be bolted or welded, as indicated at the point 8. The pin 14, with the extensions 9 and 10, forms the hinge, as already mentioned, indicated in the drawings by the numeral 7. The hinge 7 enables the Lmember, comprising the retaining lip 2, the short extension 3, and the arms 4, to be adjusted along the dotted lines, as indicated in Figure 2. That is to say that it may be located downwardly into the container 1. The hinge 7 does not allow the L member, comprising the arm 4, the short extension 3, and the retaining lip 2, to move in any direction other than that shown by the The reason for this is that the bends at 9 and 10 which surround the pin 14 bind with each other at the position shown in Figure 2, preventing the aforesaid L member -from going counterclockwise, other than in the path shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2.

The fact that the L shaped member may be moved downwardly into the container 1 is' quite important in packing and shipping the item from manufacturer to consumer. This feature is also important in that the container may be used for other purposes, such as holding objects, while on a desk or table, in which, in many instances, the bracket might not be desired to be used. It is to be noted that in Figure 3 a pencil is drawn in dotted lines and is located in between the spring member 15 and the arm 4. In other words, if this receptacle 1 is desired to be used as a desk holder for papers and the like, it may well be used to hold a pencil or the like.

These features enable the container to be used efiectively and efficiently both when it is desired to suspend it or to have it rest upon a flat surface.

Figure 4 shows the container receptacle 1 in a suspended position from the typical dashboard of a motor vehicle. The dashboard 11 is shown in a cross section arrangement. The retaining lip 2 hangs from the end flange 13 of the dashboard; Because of the fact that the bracket is not. in the geometrical center of the receptacle, the portion shown on the right hand side of Figure 4 will hang lower than the portion shown on the left hand side of this figure. The motion of the motor vehicle will of course make the receptacle sway back and forth on the hinge 7. However, as stated before, the hinge 7 is so constructed that the members 4 and 5 bind with each other preventing it from moving backward. Further, the spring member 15 locks the flange 13 of the dashboard between the arm 4 and itself. Accordingly, the only motion of the receptacle 1 is restricted within the limits of the dotted line shown on Figure 2. Further, no jarring of the motor vehicle will aflect the arrangement because of the locking idea caused by the spring member 15. It is further to be pointed out that any motion, whether it is a swinging motion or a jostling motion will not be bothersome, in view of the fact that there will, in most instances, be some weight or mass in the receptacle while it is in use, causing it to have a center of gravity and thereby giving it a certain amount of equilibrium.

It is a simple matter to disconnect the receptacle from the dashboard for the purpose of emptying it or filling it, as the case may be. It is only necessary that the user pull the spring member 15 away and lift up on the rear portion of the receptacle, pulling the device down from the dashboard or instrument panel in order to remove it. In hanging it back on the dashboard, it is only necessary to reverse this latter procedure.

Dimensions in the drawing have been exaggerated to teach the invention herein disclosed more clearly.

It is contemplated that certain mechanical equivalents can be used and it is to be understood that this is but one embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. A container-receptacle having a bracket mounted therein, said bracket having a fixed portion extending towards the middle of the container receptacle, a hinge means at the end of said fixed portion, an L-shaped extension fastened to said hinge means, said extension having a retaining lip and a spring member means for securing said spring member to the lower portion of said L-shaped extension proximate said hinge means, whereby said spring member is adapted for locking connection with automobile instrument panels and the like.

2. A container-receptacle having a bracket mounted therein, said bracket having a fixed portion extending towards the middle of the container-receptacle, said fixed portion being about level with the top of the containerreceptacle, means for permanently securing said fixed portion of a side of said container receptacle, a hinge means mounted at the end of said fixed portion, an L-shaped extension fastened to said hinge means, blocking means in said hinge means, whereby said L-shaped member is prevented from moving on said hinge means in a position closer than a right angle to said fixed portion, said extension having at its furthest end from said hinge means a retaining lip and spring membe e n or securing said spring member to the upper portion of said L-shaped member proximate said hinge means, whereby said spring member is adapted for locking connection with automobile instrument panels and the like.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,061,805 Beach May 13, 1913 1,513,258 Manz Oct. 28, 1924 1,677,592 Lloyd July 17, 1928 1,738,260 Nusser Dec. 3, 1929 2,379,896 Fitzgerald July 10, 1945 2,628,054 Fazakerley Feb. 10, 1953 2,726,837 Jameson Dec. 13, 1955

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