US2055657A - Bag - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 29, 1936. J. H. GORDON BAG 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. ll, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 29, 1936. L H, GORDON BAG Filed Jan. 11, 1952 INVEN-roR Jb/*711 60774071.

BY p yv'mu' f /L ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG John H. Gordon, Birmingham, Mich.

Application January 11, 1932, Serial No. 585,920

Claims. (Cl. 20G-12) The invention relates to equipment bags and it has particular relation to a bag which is essentially adapted for use by physicians for carrying medicinal supplies, surgical instruments, and other articles ordinarily carried by them in making professional calls.

Cognizance is taken of numerous bags that have been used by physicians for many years for carrying articles. used in their profession. Insofar as known, however, the bags that ordinarily have been used have not had satisfactory facilities for accommodating the numerous and varied articles which must be taken along on professional calls, and in at least most instances, such articles are haphazardly deposited in a rather ordinary type of bag. Moreover, in the bags that have been used, little attention has been given to locating and maintaining the various articles in a satisfactory and convenient arrangement which would allow the physician to quickly select one or more articles to be utilized. In most cases such articles have been deposited in a bag suiiiciently large to accommodate them, and then when the physician desired to remove some particular article, it was necessary to reach into the bag and move the contents thereof around and separate them until the desired article was found. A bag which is so arranged that the articles are maintained in a definite and convenient order, and which is so constructed that upon opening the bag the various articles are immediately placed in readily accessible locations, manifestly is quite advantageous from the physicians point of view. Moreover, a bag of this character prevents breakage and other damage which occasionally results from lack of order and arrangement of articles in the ordinary type of bag.

In addition to the above, it is quite important that the physicians equipment be divided up in a manner more or less corresponding to the different types of cases involved in his profession. For example, in visiting one patient, certain types of surgical or other instruments may be used, in the case of another patient, medicine will only be used, and in another case hypodermic injections may be called for. Having a bag which is designed so to separate the physicians equipment that he may have ready access to and be able to locate immediately the particular articles he desires to use, seemingly is of considerable importance to the practicing physician.

It is one object of the invention to provide a physicians bag which is so constructed and arranged that various articles constituting his equipment, will be located` conveniently in the bag, be separated so as to permit the physician to immediately obtain the article or articles Wanted, and so arranged that breakage or damage of any part of the equipment will practically be eliminated. 5

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag of the above designated character, which can readily be opened to so place the various articles comprising the equipment in the bag, in readily accessible locations that the physician in making his professional call, may immediately nd the article or articles wanted without inspecting or hunting through the bag.

Another object of the invention is to provide a physicians bag which is extremely durable, which is substantially tight for the purpose of preventing ingress of water, and which has a strongly professional appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a neat and compact bag which may be opened to a Wide degree, for the purpose of laying, so to speak, the entire equipment of the bag before the physician. Manifestly, it is quite convenient to the physician to have a bag which when opened, practically lays out the entire equipment therein before him so as to enable him to practically see at a glance, everything in the bag so as to enable him to quickly select the articles Wanted.

And in general it is an object of the invention to provide a bag which will increase the emciency of the physicians service, conserve his time, avoid mental aggravation resulting from inability to quickly find the articles wanted in the bag, or to deposit such articles in a convenient ar- V rangement, and which will insure maintenance of the articles in the bag in good ycondition at all times.

For an understanding of a particular form of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View illustrating a bag constructed according to one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view in cross section, particu- 50 larly illustrating the manner in which the side compartments of the bag are hinged to the bottom compartment thereof;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken Substantiauy along the une 5 5 of Fig. 2, par- 5 -tom compartment IU.

ticularly illustrating the manner in which certain articles comprising the physicians equipment, are arranged in one half of the bag;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line 'L -'I of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional View on a larger scale, illustrating particularly the ampoule case shown by Fig. 6, and the manner in which the cover therefor may be latched in closed position;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional and perspective view, similar to that shown by Fig. 4, but illustrating a different form of means for hinging the compartments to the body of the bag.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 particularly, the bag illustrated comprises a base or body compartment Ill, and pivotal upper side compartments II and I2. The side compartments II and I2 are adapted to be opened from opposite sides of the body compartment I as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 2 and to'hinge about opposite edge lines I3 and I4 of the latter. This opposed sidewise opening of the compartments II and I2 manifestly permits ready access to such compartments as well as to the body compartment I which is then exposed between the open side Compartments. Handles I and I6, mounted on the compartments Il and I2 adjacent their upper and meeting edges when the bag is closed, are provided to carry the bag and a latch Il fastened on the compartment I I between the handles, and adapted to cooperate with a cooperative latch part on compartment I2 is employed for holding the compartments in their closed positions. This brief description indicates the general arrangement of the bag and the manner in which it is opened and closed.

Now, as shown particularly by Figs. 2 and 5, the bottom compartment IU of the bag, comprises a rectangular frame work composed preferably of featherweight gumwood veneer, having side walls 2l and end walls 22. In constructing the frame work, the side walls may be glued to the end pieces or secured thereto in any other suitable manner. The bottom of the compartment preferably comprises a layer of pulpwood fibre indicated at 23, and this layer is glued or secured in any other suitable manner within and to the lower edge portions of the frame work 20. From this description, it will be apparent that a substantially rigid box of rectangular construction is obtained which defines the outline of the compartment I0.

The lower surface of the bottom layer 23 is covered by a thin piece of leather 24, which preferably is glued to the bottom over the entire surface thereof to provide a fully unitary construction. On the inner surface of the side and end walls 2| and 22 of the frame work 20, a layer of fiber composition 25 is applied, this layer also being glued to the framework surfaces. The fiber composition 25 also may be applied to the upper surface of the bottom layer 23 if this is desired and likewise glued to the upper surface'thereof. The inner surfaces of the side and end walls of the framework 20, and the upper surface of the bottom are then covered by a thin layer of leather such as sheep skin skiver indicated at V26, this over which it is applied. Then the entire exterior surface of the frame work 20 is covered by relatively heavy leather 21, glued thereto to provide a substantial heavy leather covering for the bot- As shown particularly by Figs. 1 and 3, side and end strips of leather 21 cover the sides and end walls, which meet at the corners of the compartment and are sewed together as indicated at 28. Consequently, when the stitching 28 is effected a substantially solid leather covering for the compartment is provided. As shown best by Fig. 2, the leather covering 2l overlaps the bottom wall of the compartment to a point indicated at 30, and the overlapping leather portion preferably is positively secured to the bottom by stitching indicated at 3l and this stitching extends entirely through the bottom wall. A plurality of bosses 3l in the form of rivets with rounded heads for example, may be located on the lower side of the bottom to provide a support for the bag, and such rivets may be secured to the bottom of the compartment in any suitable manner such as by a riveting operation.

The compartments Il and I2 are constructed similarly and it is believed that the description of one compartment generally will be sufficient for both compartments. Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, preferably the layers of fiber composition 25 extend upwardly at both sides of the bottom compartment as indicated at 33 and are formed into arcuate shape as shown, to define the side and arcuate parts of the compartments. The bottom wall of each compartment as shown by Fig. 2, comprises a layer 34 of fiber composition or the like, and the edge of this layer is glued preferably as indicated at 35 to the inner side surface of the fiber layer 33. The end walls of the compartment as shown particularly by Fig. 3,

comprise layers of gumwood veneer or the like leather may be employed to cover the lower surf face of the bottom wall 34 of the compartment. To provide a hinging cover for the compartment, the thin layers of leather 38 and 39 may be extended beyond the free edge of the bottom layer 34 of the compartment, and between such layers of leather a layer of fiber composition di) is provided to stiffen the cover. It will be noted that the fiber composition -il and the layers of leather 38 and 39 at opposite sides thereof are deflected in their closed position to substantially close the '1* compartment. In this connection it is desired to call attention to the fact that the leather layers preferably are glued to opposed sides of the fiber composition so as to provide a unitary construction. To provide an abutment for the cover of the compartment, a stiffening element 132 may extend along the inner side of the side wall 33 adjacent its free edge, and within the leather layer 38. The outer sides of the compartments and particularly the side walls thereof, are covered by the side layer of relatively heavy leather 2l which extend upwardly around the side portions and such layers of leather similarly are glued to the fiber layers which they cover. The end walls of the compartment similarly are covered by heavy layers of leather indicated at in Fig. 3 which are likewise glued to the gumwood veneer 36. Stitching as shown at 28 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 may be employed for connecting the meeting edges of such outside leather layers.

lil

It will be noted in the figures and particularly Figs. 5 and 6 that the bottom walls 34 of the compartments are disposed in vertically spaced relation with respect to the upper edges of the gumwood veneer 2|. in the bottom compartment and that the leather skiver in the bottom compartment is reversely folded as indicated at 43 to provide an annular space 49 around the upper edge of the bottom compartment to prevent ingress of water thereinto. In this connection it may be stated that the layer of skiver on the inner surface of the bottom compartment may be integral with the layers of leather skiver 39 on the bottom walls of the compartments so as to provide unitary side leather layers in the bottom and side compartments. It is apparent that the end walls of the compartment and the side walls thereof extend around and project below the upper edge of the reversely folded leather portion 48 so that should any water gain entrance between the edges of the bottom compartment and the upper compartments, such water would have to travel upwardly over the folded edge 48 before it could enter into the interior of the bag proper. Adjacent the reversely folded portion 48 of the leather skiver 26, and between the latter and the ber composition 25, reinforcing fabric suchas linen indicated at 50, may be employed to reinforce the construction at the hinging lines of the compartments.

From the above description it should be apparent that the compartments Il and I2 may be hinged into open and closed position substantially about the lines indicated at I3 and I4 and that the fiber layers 25 and the outside layers of leather 2'! at such. lines substantially constitute the hinging connections between the compartments Il and I2 and the bottom compartment IB. This arrangement provides a neat exterior appearance for the bag wherein the hinging connection is practically not noticeable.

For limiting opening movement of each compartment, an arcuate plate having a slot 56, may be secured as indicated at 51 to that portion 0f one end wall of each compartment projecting below the bottom wall 34 thereof, and such arcuate plate preferably is movable into a space provided for this purpose between the folded edge portion 48 of the skiver 26 and the fiber layers in one end wall of the bottom compartment. It is of course manifest that any arrangement suitable for the purpose may be provided so long as the arcuate plates are free to move into and out of the end walls of the bottom compartment. Prefi erably, only one arcuate plate is provided for each compartment and both platesV on both compartments are located at the same end so that when the compartments are in their open position the plates will constitute obstacles only at one end of the bag. For limiting opening movement of the compartments, pins or the like indicated at 58 extend through the slots 55 and are fixed to the end wall of the bottom compartment and such pins are adapted to engage the end of the slots at the free ends of the arcuate plates 55 when the compartments are open. Various arrangements may be provided to limit the opening of the compartments but the arrangement described is` found particularly suitable.

It has previously been stated that the folded edge portion of the skiver 26 provides a means for preventing ingress of water into the bottom co-mpartment around the meeting edges of the side compartment and the bottom compartment. In order to prevent ingress of water between the meeting edges of the side compartments, the compartment I I is shown as provided with a reinforcing lapping strip 60 which also is covered by the outside layer of leather 2l and this lapping strip 60 extends across the top of thebag and along the opposite end walls thereof so that when the compartments are closed, it overlaps the meeting edges thereof. From this it follows that the bag is substantially leak proof and hence the contents thereof may be preserved in good condition.

Each of the handles I5 and I6 is pivotally connected to the compartment with which it is associated, by means of a metal ring which at one end is pivotally connected to the compartment by means of a leather strip t6 reversely folded about a portion of the ring and stitched to the leather layer 2l, as indicated at 6l in Figs. 1 and 7. A Smaller reinforcing strip 68 of leather or suitable reinforcing fabric may be looped about a portion of the ring 55 Within the folded leather B6 and likewise stitched by the stitching 51. An opposite portion of the ring 55 is pivotally associated with the handle proper in any suitable manner and the handle itself may be of any suitable and rigid construction. When both handles are associated with the bag in this manner it is apparent that they can be brought into substantially abutting positions as shown by Fig. l, and the bag is then carried readily by means supporting both compartments.

The cover for the compartment ll preferably comprises two parts indicated at 'sEl and ll in Fig. 5, which may be moved separately into open and closed positions, whereas the cover for the compartment I2 preferably constitutes a single cover for the entire compartment. Any suitable means may be employed for lat-ching each cover in closed position such as a hook 'l2 pivotally mounted on the cover which is adapted to engage an eye 73 secured to the reinforcing element d2 and projecting when the cover is closed through a slot in the latter. A leather lip 'I4 may be secured to each cover adjacent the hook i2 to facilitate opening the cover when the hook is unlatched. The compartment I2 with its single cover manifestly provides a long space which may be utilized for carrying various surgical instruments or other equipment that a physician uses, and which require a long space in the bag. It is apparent that certain surgical instruments or other instruments that the physician uses, of a particular character, may be located in this compartment so that the physician always knows where such instruments are located.

The covers 'I0 and lI of the compartment II, however, cover separate compartments divided by a partition 'I6 shown by Fig. 5 or in other words the compartment lI is divided into two smaller compartments individually closed by the covers 'lil and` ll. The smaller compartment at the left as shown by Fig. 5 may be used for various articles of similar nature that the physician uses, but the other compartment shown at the right of Fig. 5 is particularly employed to receive ampoules. Hypodermic needles and the like may also be stored in this compartment if this is found suitable, or if found more satisfactory they may be stored in the smaller compartment at the left of Fig. 5 so that the entire compartment II or the smaller compartment at the right may be devoted to hypodermic injecting equipment.

As an ampoule carrier, a box 'I3 is fastened on the inner surface of the cover 1I, and such box has a pivoted cover 'I9 which may be hinged to the box by an integral covering layer 79', or a hinge of suitable character. The cover may be latched to the body of the box by latching means 80 comprising a yieldable metal element v8| having a bead B2 adapted to project into an opening in the cover i9. When the cover is closed, it is apparent that the bead slips into the opening, whereas when the cover is to be opened, the bead slips out of the opening. n either case the latch will automatically operate so that it is only necessary to move the cover either into closed or open position.

Within the box lil a removable layer of sponge rubber 85 preferably is provided which has longitudinally spaced recesses 8% as shown by Fig. 6 adapted to receive the ampoule tubes 8l. Similarly, the cover 'i9 is provided with a removable layer of sponge rubber or other suitable resilient and yielding material 89 also having recesses Q complementary to the ampoule tubes. The fact that the sponge rubber layers are removable facilitates cleaning them, and it is evident that the rubber readily may be washed and sterilized. Togetner the resilient layers in the box 'i8 and cover "it provide a soft but positive locating means for the ampoule tubes, thereby preventing breakage thereof while maintaining them inv positively located positions.

It will be apparent from Fig. 6, that the compartment I i may be opened by swinging it to the right through an arc of substantially 90 and that the covers for the compartment will then be in a horizontal plane with the compartment at the right of the bottom compartment. The cover H may be opened by swinging it tothe left through an arc of substantially 180 degrees which will place the ampoule case i8 uppermost and substantially in a horizontal plane above the bottom compartment. Then the cover 19 for the ampoule case may be lifted by swinging it to the right thus exposing the ampoule tubes in a readily accessible position.

For accommodating a thermometer resilient metal clips Q53' and 9i are provided which, as best shown by Fig. 2, have lip portions 93 adapted to i clip the thermometer in place on one side wall of the bottom compartment. Preferably, the clips 9@ and Si are so located that they may in conjunction provide a support for a single thermometer or that they may be used separately for this purpose. The clips preferably extend through openings in the leather skiver 26 and alongside the fiber composition 25 to the bottom wall of the compartment and may be riveted in place as indicated at 94 in Fig. 5.

t is desirable that various medicines be removable as a unit and for this purpose a brack-et plate S5 shown by Fig. 5 is provided having a base portion 96 which is adapted to support a group of bottles 9'?. The bottles are maintained in separated positions on the bracket 95 by means of a strap QB extending through longitudinally spaced slots on the back wall of the bracket and which engage the outer surfaces of the bottles. When the bracket plate is in position the bottom wall S3 thereof preferably seats on the bottom Wall of the bottom compartment, with the back wall thereof against a side wall of the latter. When so positioned the bracket is adapted to be maintained in position by means of a latch 99, preferably comprising a turnable eye i fastened to the side wall of the bottom compartment and which projects through a complementary slot in the back wall of the bracket. When the bracket is in proper position, it is apparent that the eye |00 may be turned 90 degrees and acrossl the slot to lock the bracket plate against the side wall. The advantage of having a removable bracket plate is manifest because it permits the physician to removethe entire group of bottles as a unit and place them on a table or the like where all or" the bottles will be readily visible thereby enabling him to select the bottle or bottles desired without diiiiculty.

The advantages of the bag described seem obvious without detailed explanation other than that already given. It is evident that the bag may be opened readily and that the side compartment can be placed in substantially horizontal planes at opposite sides of the bottom compartment thus permitting the physician to see at a glance practically all that the bag contains, it being' evident that he knows what the side compartments contain because ordinarily he will employ such side compartments only for designated purposes. It is apparent that the bottom compartment `will be readily visible as well as accessible, that the thermometer will readily be visible and releasable and so located that it is not apt to become broken, that the bottle supporting bracket can be readily removed, and that other articles which may be deposited in the bottom of the bag can be readily seen at a glance. Moreover, it is apparent that the physician may immediately obtain access to the ampoule case and moreover that such ampoule tubes will be maintained in good condition against breakage.

The bag provides a neat and compact construction, extremely durable, watertight in character, and very satisfactory for a physicians purpose in making professional calls. The invention meets the most exacting requirements of physicians by providing a bag which maintains various articles comprising the physicians equipment in separated and readily accessible locations, which prevents breakage Vof breakable articles, and which placespractically the entire equipment before the physician when it is opened so that he can see at least in eii'ect all of the articles therein at a glance. The arrangement of the component parts of the bag eliminates haphazard depositing of articles therein that characterizes the ordinary bag used, and provides a construction which will be readily recognized by physicians as meeting a long felt need.

As an alternative manner of pivotally mounting the side compartments on the bottom compartment ofthe bag, a hinge may be employed instead of the solid leather outer member, as indicated at iii! and such hinge may constitute metal hinge elements 92 and H33 fastened between the leather covering and bottom compartment and side compartments respectively, and through which a piano wire it or the like may extend. While the leather covering outside of the bag is suitable for hinging purposes it may be found desirable to use metal hinge elements of this type.

Although certain forms of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be aption, and the second compartment cover being pivoted to open in the other direction.

2. A physicians bag comprising a bottom compartment including pairs of side and end Walls, a side compartment arranged above said bottom compartment, means for pivotally connecting said side compartment to the upper margin of a side wall of said bottom compartment, a cover for said side compartment, means for pivotally connecting said cover at the bottom margin thereof to the bottom of the side compartment when the bag is in closed condition, and an ampoule case fixed to the inside surface. of said cover and openable about an axis adjacent the bottom of the ampoule case, whereby said ampoule case is disposed in a substantially erect position both when the bag is closed and when the bag, side compartment, and ampoule case are open,

3. A physicians bag comprising a bottom compartment including pairs of side and end walls, a side compartment arranged above said bottom compartment, means for pivotally connecting said side compartment to the upper margin of a side wall of said bottom compartment, a cover for said side compartment, means for pivotally connecting said cover at the bottom margin thereof to the bottom of the side compartment when the bag is in closed condition, an ampoule case fixed to the inside surface of said cover, and a cover for said ampoule case pivotally connected at the bottom thereof to the bottom of the ampoule. case and adjacent the pivotal connection between said side compartment and the cover therefor.

4. A physicians bag comprising a bottom rectangular compartment, upper side compartments hinged to opposed sides of the bottom compartment respectively, and in their closed positions providing a closure to the bottom compartment with their side and end walls constituting upward continuations of the side and end walls of the bottom compartment, each of said upper conipartments in its closed position having a bottom wall overlying a part of the bottom compartment and a cover pivotally connected to the inner edge of said bottom wall so that the pivotal covers for both side compartments extend upwardly between the latter, a relatively small article case fastened on the inner side of one of said pivotal covers and movable into and out of the adjacent side compartment upon hinging movement of the cover, and a cover hinged to the case and normally closing that side of the latter opposite the cover to which the case is fastened.

5. A physicians bag comprising a bottom rectangular compartment, upper side compartments hinged to opposed sides of the bottom compartment respectively, and in their closed positions providing a closure to the bottom compartment with their side and end walls constituting upward continuations of the side and end walls of the bottom compartment, each of said upper compartments in its closed position having a bottom wall overlying a part of the bottom compartment and a cover pivotally connected to the inner edge of said bottom wall so that the pivotal covers for both side compartments extend upwardly between the latter, a relatively small article case fastened on the inner side of one of said pivotal covers and movable into and out of the adjacent side compartment upon hinging movement of the cover, a cover hinged to the case and normally closing that side of the latter opposite the cover to which the case is fastened, and means in the case for holding articles against movement during pivotal movement of the side compartment or the cover therefor.

JOHN H. GORDON.

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