US2434473A - Billfold having external access means - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 13, 1948. H. E. STOCKY 2,434,473

BILLFOLD HAVING EXTERNAL ACCESSMEANS Filed Jan. 51; 1945 Yi Of@ /l -r Tam/exs' Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BILLFLD HAVING EXTERNAL ACCESS MEANS The present invention relates to improvements in billfolds, i. e., paper-money containers which fold to more conveniently fit the pockets of clothing or the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a superior billfold so constructed as to permit the contents to be readily-observed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior billfold which will securely hold bills but permit their ready removalafrom the billfold without requiring the opening of the latter.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior billfold which will expose a portion of the contents to View in such manner that the combination of the billfold itself and its contents compose an attractive ensemble. A

With the above and other objects in View, as will appear to thoseskilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art. Y

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a face View looking toward the inner face of one form of billfold embodying the present invention with the said billfold opened out Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a rear face view of the billfold when the latter is folded;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but looking toward the front face thereof;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 but additionally showing a bill installed in the billfold; and

Fig. 6 is a broken detailsectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, but on a larger scale.

The billfold herein chosenfor purposes'of illustrating a preferred form of the present 'invention may be formed of an oblong sheet I of leather or any other suitable material suitably proportioned to accommodate paper money. The said sheet Il) is formed about midway of its length with a transverse score or crease II to Virtually divide the said sheet into a front-panel I2 and a complemental back-panel I3. The said panels may be folded with respect to each other about the score or crease II, which latter serves as a hinge. At the outer end of the front-panel I2, the sheet I3 is also provided with a transverse score or crease I4 which virtually divides the said front-panel proper from a fastening-flap I and serves as a hinge between the latter and the said front-panel.

2 The fastening-Hap I5above referred to is provided centrally with a. snap-fastener socket-member I6 having avso'cket I1 which is adapted to releasablyreceive a complemental stud I8 forminga part of a snap-fastener stud-member I9. The said stud-member I9`is mounted centrally inthe back-panel vI 3 adjacent the outer edge thereof. The studI8`- is adapted to Venter the socket I'I when the front-panel I2=and the back-panelA I3- are folded togetherand the fastening-nap I5 is lapped overagainst theback face of the backp'anel I3, as is especially well shown inY Figs. 3

and 5.

On each of the respectiveopposite sides of thein Fig. 1. As thus'located, the tie-portion 22 hasthe score orl crease- II extending centrally throughout its length;

Preferably andas shown, each ofthe clear- I ance-slots 2U`and 2-I `havetheir respective intermediate-portions symmetrically curved away from the scoreor crease II, with the result that the tie-portionr 22 is formed on each of its respective opposite edges with one of two oppositely-extending tab-portions 23 and 24.V

Preferably,- also, the front-panel I2 is formed with -a sight-opening 25so located as to enable the denominational numeral on a bill within the billfold, to be readily observed.

Bills may be inserted into the billfold above described in a variety of'manners, but for purposes of convenience, let it be assumed that the billfold is opened `out as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the inner face thereof is uppermost. A bill or a group of bills may now be inserted from the inner. face of the billfold through the clearance-slot 2U, thence beneath the tie-portion 22 and through the clearance-slot 2I and onto the inner face of the billfold. The bill 26 may now be assumed to have reached the position illustrated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1.

With the bill 26 centrally positioned as indicated in Fig. 1, the front-panel I2 and the backpanel I3 may be folded toward each other about the hinge-point provided by the score or crease II, and the fastening-flap I5 may be overlapped against the back face of the back-panel I3, to

cause the socket I1 in the socket-member I6 to snap-over the stud I8 of the stud-member I9 until the parts assume the positions in which they are illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.

When the bill 26 is installed in the billfold and the same is folded as above described, the foldportion of the bill 26 will wrap itself around the exteriors of the tie-portion 22 and its oppositelyextending tab- portions 23 and 24, as is especially well shown in Fig. 6. As shown, the tab- portions 23 and 24 will be substantially pressed together by the wrapped-around portion of the bill 28, so that the portions of the respective inner-edges of the front-panel I2 and back-panel I3 from which the tab- portions 23 and 24 have been respectively displaced, will provide ample view of the bill 26 and will further provide finger- clearance notches 21 and 28.

Should it be desired, the thumb and forenger may be entered into the finger- clearance notches 21 and 28 to clasp the folded portion of the bill 26, and to enable the said bill to be withdrawn from the billfold in the direction of the arrow 29 in Fig. 6, without requiring the opening-up of the billfold.

The invention may be carried out in other specic ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristi'cs of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to beY considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a billfold, having external access-means, including in cornbination: a unitary structure providing a frontpanel, a back-panel and a hinge-portion extending transversely of the billfold; the said frontpanel and the said back-panel each being provided immediately adjacent the said hinge-portion with one of two complemental substantiallytransverse clearance-Slots through whichmay be extended the folded portion of a bill held between opposed inner faces of the said front-panel and the said back-panel when the said panels are folded together; both of the said clearance-slots extending closely adjacent to but terminating short of the respective opposite side-edges of the billfold and being laterally spaced apart in a direction lengthwise of the billfold by the said transverse hinge-portion which forms a tie between the opposite edges of the billfold at the point of junction of the saidv front-panel and the said back-panel, the said hinge-portion serving to support the inner face of the folded portion of a bill having its free ends extended respectively through the said clearance-slots into the interior of the billfold; each of the said transverse clearance-slots extending completely through the panel ln which it is formed from the inner to the outer surfaces thereof to enable a folded bill to be withdrawn from the interior of the billfold by gripping the exteriorly-exposed folded portion of the bill extending around the said hinge-portion.

2. As a new article of manufacture. a billfold, including in combination: a unitary structure providing a front-panel, a, back-panel and a. hinge-portion extending transversely of the bill- Afold; the said front-panel and the said back- -panel each being provided immediately adjacent the said hinge-portion with one of two complemental substantially-transverse clearance-Slots through which may be extended the folded portion of a bill held between opposed inner faces of the said front-panel and the said back-panel when the said panels are folded together; both of the said clearance-slots extending closely adjacent to but terminating short of the respective opposite side-edges of the billfold and being laterally spaced apart in a direction lengthwise of the billfold by the said transverse hinge-portion which forms a tie between the opposite edges of the billfold at the point of junction of the said front-panel and the said back-panel, the said hinge-portion serving to support the inner face of the folded portion of a bill having its free ends extended respectively through the said clearance-slots into the interior of the billfold; each of the said transverse clearance-slots extending completely through the panel in which it is formed from the inner to the outer surfaces thereof to enable a folded bill to be Withdrawn from the interior of the billfold by gripping the exteriorly-exposed folded portion of the bill extending around the said hinge-portion; each of the said clearance-slots having its central-p0rtion curved away from the said hinge-portion to provide one of two complemental finger-clearance notches.

HERMAN E. STOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,228,251 Smith May 29, 1917 1,684,737 LEnfant Sept. 18, 1928 1,821,379 Epstein Sept. 1, 1931 1,824,765 Ballard et al Sept. 29, 1931 1,844,258 Loomis, Jr. Feb. 9, 1932 1,857,488 Weeks May 10, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 100,289 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1916 307,193 Great Britain Mar. 7, 1929

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