US3653474A - Rolling luggage - Google Patents

Abstract

An article of luggage is described which has a plurality of rollers permanently mounted on its bottom wall and a flexible transport strap attached to its upper part.

Description

United States Patent Sadow 51 Apr. 4, 1972 1 ROLLING LUGGAGE 1,291,539 1/1919 Josephson ..280/47.34

1,376,529 5/1921 Grant ..190/58 [72] Chappaqua 3,057,002 10/1962 Levin et al. 190/1 8 A [73] Assignee: United States Luggage Corp., Fall River, 1,241,890 10/1917 Schrader ..190/58 X Mass.

[22] Filed: 1970 Primary ExaminerJoseph R. Leclair 2 AppL 3 3 Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney-Joseph Zallen [52] US. Cl. ..190/18 A,190/58, 280/4717 [51] Int. Cl ..A45c 13/00 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..190/18 A,58,59;280/47.34,

230/4717 47 3 An article of luggage is described which has a plurality of rollers permanently mounted on its bottom wall and a flexible [56] References Cited transport strap attached to its upper part.

UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 2,392,926 l/l946 Kelly ..190/58 Patented April 4, 1972 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 IFIG.

|ll'lllal'll|'l'l|ll"" l'allllllll Patented April 4, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet F3 ROLLING LUGGAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to articles of luggage. In particular it relates to articles of luggage which can be easily transported.

With the enormous recent growth in travel, a number of problems have arisen in the handling of luggage. Whereas formerly luggage would be handled by porters and be loaded or unloaded at points convenient to the street, the large terminals of today, particularly air terminals, have increased the difficulty of baggage handling. Thus, it is often necessary for a passenger to handle his own luggage in an air, rail or bus terminal. Further, where the passenger does handle his own luggage, he is often required to walk very great distances. In view of the weight involved, baggage handling has become perhaps the biggest single difficulty encountered by an air passenger.

One object of the present invention is to provide an article of luggage which can be readily handled with a minimum of effort and time by the traveler.

A further object of this invention is to provide such an article of luggage which would be otherwise conventional in shape, size and style.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow, taken together with the appended drawings.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention in its most general terms comprises an article of luggage which has a plurality of rollers permanently mounted on its bottom wall and a flexible transport strap attached to its upper part, preferably to the upper portion of one of its end walls. The articles of luggage to which this invention is particularly applicable are those which have a cover portion connected by a hinge to a body portion. In closed position such articles of luggage have a bottom wall formed from portions of the cover and body, two end walls formed from portions of the cover and body, a side wall which is part of the cover, a side wall which is part of the body, and an upper wall which is formed by the cover and body.

The rollers are preferably attached to both the cover portion and the body portion of the bottom wall. The rollers can comprise individual assemblies as, for example, a bracket having means for attachment to the bottom wall and containing a cup-shaped closure for housing a ball bearing. The flexible transport strap is preferably detachable and is preferably attached to the upper portion of one of the end walls through a loop mounted on the end wall.

This invention is also applicable to luggage known as garment carriers or garment bags, i.e., luggage in which clothes are supported in their normal fashion on hangers in interior supports but which can be folded and locked for purposes of transportation. Such items of luggage go under various trademarks as, for example, CAR-MATE of United States Luggage Corp.

Luggage made in accordance with this invention has been found to be readily and easily movable. The luggage actually glides. Further, substantially any person, regardless of size, strength or age can easily pull the luggage along without effort or strain.

The term roller" as used herein and in the claims is used in its broad sense to include wheels, casters and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS stra p SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF INVENTION As illustrated in the drawings, an article of casual luggage 10 is shown having a cover member 11 connected to a body member 12 by hinges 101. The cover member 11 with its metal edge 11a is held together with body member 12 and its metal edge 120 by means of draw bolts 13 and 14 and lock 15. A normal handle 16 is provided on the body member 12.

Cover member 11 comprises side wall 114 and a depending lateral wall having a bottom portion 111, end portions 1 12 and 113 and upper portion 115. Body member 12 comprises side wall 124 and a depending lateral wall having a bottom portion 121, end wall portions 122 and 123 and upper portion 125. In closed condition, the bottom wall consists of sections 111 and 121, the end walls consist of sections 1 12 and 122 and sections 113 and 123, and the upper wall consists of sections and 125.

On the bottom wall are provided four roller assemblies 23-26. As illustrated with reference to roller assembly 23, these are attached to the bottom wall by rivets 30 and 31 extending through the outer portion 32 and concealed by lining 33. The assembly 23 comprises a bracket having a cup 28 holding a ball bearing 27 and has extensions cooperable with said rivets.

Roller assemblies 23 and 24 are mounted on the narrow wall section 111 of cover member 11 while roller assemblies 25 and 26 are mounted on the wide wall section 121 of body member 12 near the edge of side wall 124.

Attached to end wall 122 of body member 12 is a fixed loop 17 positioned near the edge 11a of the cover member and the upper wall 125. Adapted to be clasped onto the loop 17 is flexible transport strap 18. Strap 18 has a closed loop 19 adapted to be held in the hand and a strip 20 adapted to pull through fixed loop 17 and back on itself by means of snap fastener elements 21 and 22.

I claim:

1. In an article of luggage having a bottom wall, a top wall spaced from said bottom wall and substantially parallel therewith, two end walls interconnecting said top and bottom walls and being substantially perpendicular thereto, two spaced and substantially parallel side walls in the area defined by said top, bottom and end walls, and a carrying handle permanently affixed to said top wall; the improvement of a plurality of rollers mounted on said bottom wall, loop means mounted on one of said end walls near said top wall, and a flexible transport strap having a free end threaded through said loop means, said free end being provided with separable fastener means engageable with an intermediate portion of said strap for securing said free end to said loop means, whereby said luggage may be carried by said handle or roller on said rollers by pulling said strap.

2. In article of luggage as set forth in claim 1, said rollers being offset from each other relative to a line perpendicular to said side walls.

3. In an article of luggage as set forth in claim 2, there being four rollers, two adjacent one side wall and two adjacent the other side wall.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 653 474 I Dated April 4 a 1972 Invent0r(s) Bernard D. Sadow Chappaqua, N. Y.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In Claim 1, next to the last line, the last word should read, "rolled".

Signed and sealed this 18th day of July 1972.

( SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM (0459) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 UIS, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 1569 0-365-334

Claims (3)

1. In an article of luggage having a bottom wall, a top wall spaced from said bottom wall and substantially parallel therewith, two end walls interconnecting said top and bottom walls and being substantially perpendicular thereto, two spaced and substantially parallel side walls in the area defined by said top, bottom and end walls, and a carrying handle permanently affixed to said top wall; the improvement of a plurality of rollers mounted on said bottom wall, loop means mounted on one of said end walls near said top wall, and a flexible transport strap having a free end threaded through said loop means, said free end being provided with separable fastener means engageable with an intermediate portion of said strap for securing said free end to said loop means, whereby said luggage may be carried by said handle or roller on said rollers by pulling said strap.

2. In article of luggage as set forth in claim 1, said rollers being offset from each other relative to a line perpendicular to said side walls.

3. In an article of luggage as set forth in claim 2, there being four rollers, two adjacent one side wall and two adjacent the other side wall.

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