US2036794A - Collapsible hamper - Google Patents

Description

wf m@ H. BEWAN www@ COLLAPS IBLE HAMPER Filed Nov. V28, 1934 HNVENTR 1 HA @RY Dls-@MAN 2/ f6? Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes hampers, and particularly to devices of this class designed for use in the home and especially in the bath room of homes to provide means for intermittently collecting and storing soiled linen and wearing apparel; and the object of the invention is` to provide a device of the class described which may be hung upon a wall, door or other surface and which consists in collapsible frame parts so as to permit the compact folding thereof upon the supporting surface when the same is not in use so as not to interfere with or take up unnecessary space in a room, and whereby the same may be quickly and easily extended for use whenever desired; a further object being to provide a device of the class described including frame parts co1- lapsible one within the other, and means movable with respect to said parts for forming a top closure wall and especially wherein said wall provides a table or support which may be utilized for supporting toilet or other articles in connection therewith; and with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in a collapsible hamper of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple and economical in construction, eflicient in use, and which is. constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which ,the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device made according to my invention with the parts in co1- lapsed position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the parts in extended or open position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale; and,

Fig. 5 is ya View similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modification.

In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a main supporting frame Ill which is oblong and rectangular in form and consists of top and bottom strips II and I2 and side strips I3 secured together at their intersecting corners. Mounted on suitable hinge means I4 within the frame Hi is a supplemental door frame I5 consisting of top and bottom rails; I5 and Il and side rails I8, the outer surfaces of which are preferably beveled or otherwise ornamented to produce a neat and nished appearance and to give to the entire device the effect of an offset frame.

The ornamental flange portion i9 of said strips overlies the outer surface of the strips of the frame Il] at the top and sides thereof. Mounted within the top, bottom and side strips of the door frame I5 is a panel piece Ztl which may be composed of openwork material to represent the fibre of a conventional hamper construction or may be in the form of a solid or perforated panel, the perforations being employed when ventilation is required, although other means for ventilation may be employed.

This panel 20 may include picture or other representations to give an attractive and ornamental appearance to the entire device. In some instances, the panel may consist of a mirror which when the hamper is disposed adjacent a floor surface may be used by women to judge the proper hanging of a dress or similar garment or for any other purpose.

The inner surfaces of the side rails i3 and i3 of the frames I0 and I5 are provided with longitudinal grooves Illa., lct, note Fig. 4 of the drawing, in which the edges of flexible side walls 2I are adapted to be placed and held by retaining strips 22 which may be driven in place or glued or otherwise secured in position. However, the wedging action will secure the sheets 2l in position and will facilitate removal and replacement thereof.

These walls may, in some uses of the device, be composed of waterproof materials and may be in the form of a conventional fabric or a specially designed openwork fabric to give ventilation or ornamentation to the device. It will also appear that these fiexible side walls may be of a color designed to harmonize with any desired color employed on the frames l0 and I5 as well as the panel 20 when the latter is of an ornamental type. The flexible side walls will be scored or otherwise fashioned longitudinally thereof as indicated in dot and dash lines at fla., Fig. 3 of the drawing, to cause said walls to fold inwardly when the door frame is moved from an open to a closed position. The door frame I5 seats snugly in the frame il) when in closed position, and if desired, any means may be employed to provide a frictional engagement between the parts. A finger piece 2S may be employed to facilitate the movement of the door into open position.

The upper edges of the flexible side walls 22 will preferably include an elastic insert 24 which is placed under tension when the door is moved into its open position so as to move the door into engagement with the outer surface of a top table board 25 hinged or pivoted to the side rails I3 of the frame IU at a point below the top rail il thereof as seen at 26 in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The table board 25 may be raised upwardly to facilitate insertion of various articles into the compartment of the hamper when the door is in open position. At the same time, the door may be moved forwardly a sufficient degree under the tension of the elastics 24 to permit the table board 25 to swing downwardly into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing when the door frame is moved into its closed or collapsed position. If desired, a filler strip Ila may be disposed beneath the top strip Il and above the table board 25 to close this space when the device is in the open position shown in Fig. 3. When in this open position, the table board 25 may be used for supporting various articles, and this is especially true with the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, if the supplemental door panel disclosed in Fig. 5 of the drawing is employed in the panel of said rst named figures, where access to the compartment of the hamper may be obtained without disturbing the top table board.

'I'he construction shown in Fig. 5 differs from the structures shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive primarily in the elimination of the top table board and in the substitution therefor of a exible top closure sheet 21, the inner edge of which is secured to the rear surface of the top strip Il of the frame by a strip 22a similar to the strips 22. The forward edge of the flexible top sheet 21 may be detachably secured to the upper strip I6 of the outer frame by snap fasteners or other coupling means 28 so as to give access to the compartment of the hamper.

On the other hand, with the construction shown in Fig. 5, and as a matter of fact, with the structure shown in the other figures, the panel 20 of the door frame may be provided with a supplemental door 20a controlling admission to the compartment of the hamper. One simple method of forming the door 20a would be to simply form a U-cut in a cardboard or corrugated board panel, scoring the uncut portion to form a hinge as at 20h and providing the free end of the supplemental door 20a with a headed pin or button 26C, and the adjacent portion of the panel with a strap 20d engaging the pin 20c to hold the door 20a in closed position. In the drawing, the door 20a, is indicated in open position in dotted lines. As above stated, this type of construction may be of practical advantage in using the board 25 as a supporting shelf for other articles.

In addition to utilizing my improved collapsible device as a clothes hamper for the conventional uses of devices of this class, this device may also be utilized as a means for conveniently storing stockings, socks and the like which are in need of repair or darning, or in fact, as a means for temporarily or otherwise storing various kinds and classes of articles. Aside from the question of storage, the device may be utilized to form what might be termed a desk, table, shelf or other support, especially when the ability to collapse the same constitutes a factor.

It will also appear that by reason of the simplicity in the manner of constructing the complete device, the same may be manufactured and sold at a very reasonable retail price, and by virtue of the collapsing characteristics of the device, the compact packing and shipment thereof is also facilitated. It will also be apparent that while I have indicated the frames as being composed of wood or similar strips, these frames may be constructed from metal or other material, and while the side walls are preferably composed of flexible material, a material capable of being folded or collapsed within the frame will perform the same function.

When the flexible top member 2l is employed, the elastic means provided at the upper edge of the side walls will serve to keep the door frame closed to a degree consistent with the number of articles arranged in the hamper compartment, and if the hamper compartment is filled, the side walls will be extended to the limit of their extension and will act as stops preventing further opening of the door frame, and if desired, suitable checks may be provided for this purpose if the fabric or other material of the side walls is of a light weight construction. In mounting the main frame il] upon the wall or other surface, such surface forms the back wall of the compartment. However, in some types of frames, a back wall may be desired, and this may be provided in the form of a sheet or panel of suitable material.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A collapsible container of the class described, comprising two rectangular frames each consisting of top, bottom and side rails, said frames being disposed one within the other, means for hingedly mounting the inner frame in connection with the outer frame to permit outward movement of said inner frame with respect to the outer frame, side wall members joining the sides of said frames and collapsible therewithin when the frames are in closed position, the inner frame including a front closure panel supported in the rails of said frame, said frame in conjunction with the side wall members forming an article receiving compartment outwardly of said outer frame and open through the top of said frames.

2. A collapsible container of the class described, comprising two rectangular frames each consisting of top, bottom and side rails, said frames being disposed one within the other, means for hingedly mounting the inner frame in connection with the outer frame to permit outward movement of said inner fra-me with respect to the outer frame, side wall members joining the sides of said frames and collapsible therewithin when the frames are in closed position, the inner frame including a front closure panel supported in the rails of said frame, said frame in conjunction with the side wall members forming an article receiving compartment outwardly of said outer frame and open through the top of said frames, and a top closure member movable relatively to said frames and collapsible within the boundaries thereof.

3. A device of the class described for forming an article receiving compartment in conjunction with a predetermined surface, said device comprising an openwork frame supported on said surface, a door hingedly coupled with the lower part of the frame to permit outward swinging movement of the upper end of said door with respect to said frame, side wall members joining the sides of the door and frame and collapsible within the frame when the door is in closed position, a top member collapsible within said frame and cooperating with the upper edge of said door to form a closure for the top open end of the compartment formed when the door is moved into open position, and said door including a supplemental door member controlling access to said compartment.

4. A device of the class described for forming an article receiving compartment in conjunction with a predetermined surface, said device comprising an openwork frame supported on said surface, a door hingedly coupled with the lower part of the frame to permit outward swinging movement of the upper end of said door with respect to said frame, side wall members joining the sides of the door and frame and collapsible within the frame when the door is in closed position, a top member collapsible within said frame and cooperating with the upper edge of said door to form a closure for the top open end of the compartment formed when the door is moved into open position, and said top closure consisting of a table board, and tensional means for supporting the door in engagement with the table board.

5. A device of the class described comprising a main frame consisting of top, bottom and side rails with an opening formed between said rails, a supplemental frame having top, bottom and side rails arranged within and conforming to the peripheral boundaries of the main frame, means at one end of said frames for movably mounting the supplemental frame in connection with the main frame to permit movement of said frames one with respect to the other, means coupling the side rails of the main and supplemental frames and collapsible within said frames when in closed position for forming side walls of a compartment when the supplemental frame is moved into open position with respect to the main frame, and a closure panel supported in the rails of the supplemental frame and forming the front wall of said compartment.

6. A device of the class described comprising a main frame consisting of top, bottom and side rails with an opening formed between said rails, a supplemental frame having top, bottom and side rails arranged within and conforming to the peripheral boundaries of the main frame, means at one end of said frames for movably mounting the supplemental frame in connection with the main frame to permit movement of said frames one with respect to the other, means coupling the side rails of the main and supplemental frames and collapsible within said frames when in closed position for forming side walls of a compartment when the supplemental frame is moved into open position with respect to the main frame, a closure panel supported in the; rails of the supplemental frame and forming the front wall of said compartment, a top closure member movably mounted in connection with the main frame and detachable with respect to the upper end of the supplemental frame, and said member being collapsible within the main frame when the supplemental frame is moved into closed position.V

7. A collapsible container comprising two rectangular frame parts movably coupled with each other to permit relative movement of said frame parts to form, when said parts are extended, a storage compartment therebetween, one of the frame parts being adapted to nest within the other part, and said i'lrst named part including an outwardly projecting ange portion overlying the surface of the second named part to limit inward movement of said part, and said parts being joined by side wall portions collapsible within the parts when in closed position.

8. An article of manufacture of the class described comprising a main frame part consisting of top, bottom and side rails and a supplemental frame part consisting of top, bottom and side rails, the major portion of the supplemental part being adapted to nest within the main part to form a hat Contact unit, the supplemental frame part being movable outwardly with respect to the main frame part, eXible and collapsible side wall portions joining the side rails of said parts, and a panel of rigid material mounted within and supported by the rails of the supplemental frame part to form` within said parts and between said side walls a storage compartment when said parts are in extended position.

9. A collapsible container of the class described comprising two frames including side rail portions arranged to it one within the other, means for movably coupling said frames, the side rail portions of said frames having longitudinal grooves, sheets of ilexible material formn ing side wall enclosures for said frames when in extended position, and strips engaging edges of said sheets to secure the same in the grooves of said rails to retain the sheets against displacement therefrom.

HARRY DERMAN.

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