US2969603A - Portable combination ironing board and luggage case - Google Patents

Description

M. R. OBUCKLEY Jan. 31, 1961` PORTABLE COMBINATION IRONING BOARD AND LUGGAGE CASE Filed June 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 31, 1961 M. R. @BUCKLEY 2,969,603

PORTABLE COMBINATION IRONING BOARD'AND LUGGAGE CASE Filed June 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Shes?l 2 mms/TOR.'- MARY R. OBUCKLEY United States Patent i 2,969,603 PORTABLE COMBINATION IRQNING BOARD AND LUGGAGE CASE Mary R. OBuckIey, Horseheads, N .Y.

Filed June 20, 1958,'Ser. No. 743,342

` y1 Claim. (Cl. Sil-e112) invention relates to collapsible `or folding'` porta- .bleiron'ing'boards and containers, Iandinfparticular@a `plurality of vhinged Vpanels designed :to '.be `folded to7 provide a carrier for luggage anduvhich, iwhen opened :to an extended position provides an ironing board.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means 'whereby a traveler vmay readilyy carry an ironing rhoard inlhis luggage continuously.

Various types of devices have been "provided @for inr- ,provising ironing -boards in hotel and motel roomsl fand also in rooming ,houses and small apartments, however,

such devices Vare Vdesigned for temporary fuseandihave .sectionalironing board which 'may be used as la luggage vcarrier for traveling, and which .may y.readily be fset `up forironing l Anotherobjectofthe inventionfisto provide a collapsible ironing board that may be folded` to .providealluggage carrier or set up for ironing in which the parts are rigidly held in extended positions when the device .is .used for ironing.

Another important object of Lthe linvention is to provide a folding ironing board which may be used asa .luggage carrier or Athe 4like in whichthe ironing board is spaced above a telescoping base when set up for use.

VvIt is yet another object -of the invention to provide a `collapsible ironing `board that may "be `vfolded to provide ya luggage-carrier-in which theparts are of comparatively light weight.

A further object .of `the invention vis to provide an ironing board formed vof :hinged panels in which the parts .may :be set .up .for use .by the `average layman.

A still further object is to provide a combination ironing board and luggage carrier which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a rectangular-shaped base panel, end panels hinged to ends of the base panel, a side panel complemental to the base panel and hinged to one of the end panels, a nose panel hinged to the extended end of the side panel and formed to fold `against the inner surface thereof, pins slidably mounted in tubes or rolls at the edges of the panels for retaining the panels in extended positions, and -a telescoping frame connected by legs to the inner surface of the base panel for supporting,

the ironing board in an extended position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

2,969,603 Patented Jan. 31 1.9.61

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Vllligure "1 `is a perspective -view ,showing the collapsible ironing :board vfolded t'o VYprovide a luggage carrier.

Figure -2 is a perspective view showingthedeviceaextended to provide an ironing board, and looking ,toward .the-under'surfacethereof.

:Figure 3 Vis aside elevational view of thecombination ironing board and luggage carrier with parts broken away Vshowing alongitudinal section through therdevice.

Eigure 4 is a cross-section through the base panel fof the fironing rboard* and luggage carrier taken "on Aline 4--4 of Figure 2 with the parts shown on ,an ,enlarged scale, .and showing, lin particular, the inwardly inclined legs -Kof fthe ftelescopiing support frame, in .broken lines.

'Figure 5 yfis faf longitudinal section through vthe inter- Ymediate of the-ironing board With-the parts.v extended Land showing, 1in-particular, one ofthe locking -pin's or keys offthe device.

Figure'-,6is :a gperspectiveview with the partsrshown on an enlarged 1scale Iillustrating the keys or plates for retainingthe nose panel :in an extended position -when'the device is ,used ffor van .ironing board.

Figure 7 isa-cross section-through the sidefpanel'taken Lon line 7-1-7 of Figure 6 showing the mounting-of one lof 'the :keys for plates for 'retaining the nose `panel extended.

While one -embodiment of .the invention is illustrated inthe fabove-referred-to drawings, :it is to be understood .that -thieyare merelyfor the 'purpose of illustration, and that various rchanges .in construction :may be-resorted :to in theeourse of `manufacture in order-that theinvention tmay ,be yutilized to the best .advantage according :to fein'- cumstances which may Yarise, without in any manner'de- ,parting from zthe spirit and intention ofthedevice, which is to `be Alimited only in accordance with the appended claim. And while there is statedk the primary Ifield `of utility of the invention, it .remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

11n the 4accompanying drawings, and in the lfollowing speciiication the same reference characters are used to designate `the ysame parts and Velements throughout, `and .in which the ynumeral 10 refers to the invention `'inats entirety, ,numeral 12 indicating a rectangular-'shaped ibase panel, numeral "14 a similarly shaped side panel-of the same :size and shape as that of the base panel, numerfal 16 ,a nose-panel hinged to the extendedendfof the Iside panel, vnu'meral 18 a rst Aend panel positioned 'between the panels 12 .and =14, numeral .20 a second end panel 5hinged to the base `panel 312, numerals 22 :and 24side walls 'hinged vto .ends of the end-panel 20, numerals 26 yand 28 .tubes extended from legs 30 secured to the under surface kof the base .panel 12, numeral 32 telescoping tubes ,fmountedin the tubes 26 and 28, and'numerals34 .and 36-rocls slidabl-y mounted inthe tubes .32 rand connected by a cross rod 38 on which a sleeve 40 is positioned, thereby providing a U-shaped support.

The sides of the base panel 12 are provided with flanges 42 and 44 and tubes 46 and 48 are nested inside of the lianges, as shown in Figure 4. The legs 30 are provided with sections 50 and 52, respectively, which are positioned inside of the tubes 46 and 48, and the tubes are secured to hte base plate by brazing, welding, or other suitable means.

The end panel 20, on which a handle 54 is mounted by straps 56 and 58'is connected to the base panel 12 with a piano hinge 60 and the side Walls 22 and 24 are connected to ends of the end panel 20 by similar hinges 62 and 64. The opposite end of the base panel 12 is connected to the end panel 18 by a piano hinge 66 and the opposite side of the end panel 18 is connected to the side panel 14 by a similar hinge 68. 'Ihe nose panel 16 is connected to side panel 14 by a piano hinge 70.

The sides of the nose panel 16 are provided with arcuate recesses 72 and 74 whereby the extended end of the nose panel is patterned to correspond with a conventional ironing board.

The intermediate panels are retained in extended positions by sliding bolts or pins 76 that are actuated by knobs 78 which extend through slots 80 in the tubes, as illustrated in Figure 5. The ends of the tubes are provided with beveled surfaces 82 that facilitate folding to an angle of 90. Thertubes 46 and 48 of the base panel are aligned with tubes 84 and 86 of the end panel 18,

and the tubes 84 and 86 are aligned with tubes 88 and 90 on the edges of the side panel 14. By sliding the pins across the connecting points of the panels the panels are rigidly Vretained in extended positions.

The hinge plate 92 of the hinge 70 connecting the nose panel 16 to the side panel 14 is provided with offset end sections 94 which extend away from the panel providing sockets into which wing plates 96 extend with the plates 'in the'positions indicated by the broken lines 98, shown in Figure 6. The wing plates 96 are carried on the sides of bolts 100 slidably mounted in the extended ends of the tubes 88 and 90 of the side panel 14. The wing plates 96 are secured to the rods or bolts 100 by studs 102 and in the folded position the wing plates are moved inwardly to the positions indicated by the broken lines 104. In setting up the ironing board the wing plates are drawn outwardly to the positions indicated by the broken lines 106, then turned to the positions against the nose panel and slid inwardly with the ends sliding into the offset sections 94 of the hinge plate 92. With the wing plates in these positions the nose panel 16 is rigidly supported in an extended position for ironing.

Edges of the end panel 18 and side panel 14 are provided with anges similar to the anges 42 and 44 of the base panel, the panel 18 having flanges 108 and 110, and the ypanel 14 having flanges 112 and 114, the flanges being positioned to overlap edges of the side Walls 22 and 24 with the parts folded, as shown in Figure 1.

Operation With the parts folded, as shown in Figure 1, wearing apparel, or the like, may be packed in the carrier and the device transported with other luggage to a hotel or motel room or the like, and should it be desired to use an ironing board, a latch 116 connecting the panel 20 to the side panel 14 is released, and the parts extended, as shown in Figure 2 with the locking keys or pins extended across the connections between the panels 'and with the wing plates extended into the sockets of the hinge plate 92. The side walls are folded against the end panel 20 and the telescoping rods extended as shown in Figure 3.

In folding the device the wing plates are removed from the sockets of the hinge plate 92 and the nose plate folded against the inner surface of the side panel 14. The pins in the tubes at the edges of the panels are withdrawn, the side walls 22 and 24 positioned behind the flanges 42 and 44 of the base panel, and with the telescoping base retracted, the flanges of the end panel 18 and side panel 14 are positioned over edges of the side Walls, and the latch 116 fastened.

From the foregoing speciiication it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish, and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and arrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention lclaimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

In an ironing board and carrier, the combination which comprises a rectangular-shaped base panel, a iirst end panel hinged to one end of the base panel, a side panel of the same pattern and size as that of the base panel hinged to the extended edge of the first end panel, an ironing board nose panel hinged to the extended edge of the side panel and patterned to nest against the inner surface of said side panel, a second end panel hinged to the end of the base panel opposite to the end to which the iirst end panel is hinged, side Walls hinged to the ends of said second end panel, the base panel, side panel, nose panel, and rst and second end panels being connected by piano hinges providing a smooth outer ironing surface, said base, side, nose, and end panel positioned between the base and side panel having longitudinally disposed registering tubes on under surfaces, pins slidably mounted in the tubes for retaining the panels in extended positions, and a U-shaped frame having telescoping arms mounted on and spaced from the base panel for supporting the ironing board from and in spaced relation to a supporting surface.`

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,564 McKeough Nov. 4, 1884 969,112 OBleness Aug. 30, 1910 1,197,525 Meibert Sept. 5, 1916 1,334,792 Rankin Mar. 23, 1920 2,473,022 Fenske June 14, 1949 2,500,542 Greene Mar. 14, 1950 2,637,919 Buchanan May 12, 1953 2,742,335 Hitchcock et al Apr. 17, 1956 2,785,484 Molter Mar. 19, 1957

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