US2417786A - Pocket shield or protector - Google Patents

Description

arch 18, 1947. H. SMITH POCKET SHIELD OR PROTECTOR Filed June 3, 1943 INVENTOR 5 ATTORNEYS Pnemd M r. 18, 1941 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POCKET SHIELD R PROTECTOR Hurley Smith; Buffalo, N. Y.

Application June 3, 1943, Serial No. 489,431

. 1 Claim.

1 I This invention relates to an improved pocket shield, guard or protector of relatively stiff, thin tion adapting it to be placed and removably retained upright in the pocket of the user's shirt, blouse or other garment, and which comprises portions that overlie or cover the edge and adjacent portion of the front or outer wall of the pocket and alsothe outer surface portions of the garment at and adjacently above the pocket opening or entrance, so as to prevent such portions of the garment from being marked, disfigured or soiled by pencils or other more or less analogous articles or the'fingers of the user in placing such articles in and removing them from the pocket. The device is particularly desirable for use as a protector for keeping clean theshirts of workers in factories and other places where the worker has to repeatedly use a pencil or the like and therefore has to have it readily available while he may be engaged in other tasks on which his hands may-become soiled or greasy,-

and thus make it diflicult for him to use the pencil as required and, nevertheless maintaina desired neat and cleanly appearance of the shirt or garment having the pocket in which the device 2 is used.

A particular object ofmy invention is to provide a practical and desirable shield or protector of thecharacter mentioned which is of novel, but exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction, is of light weight and is inconspicuous and not a disfigurement to the garment with which it is used.

Further'objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification of the preferred embodiments of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, and th novel features of the invention are set forth in the appended claim.-

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view'of a shield or prosheet material which is of a form and constructector embodying my invention in place in the pocket of a garment and showing a pencil in,

place in the pocket and shield.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shield removed.

Fig. 3 is-a sectional elevation of the shield and pocket on line 33, Fig. 1, and indicating a pencil about to be placed in the pocket. I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a shield of slightly modified construction as viewed from the rear.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionthereof on line 5-5, Fig. 4.

terial and therefore make the shield nearly in-' The shield or protector comprises connected opposed or rear and front relatively flat or plain upright walls or leaves l0 and II of sheet material, the shield preferably being of a size and shape adapting it to be readily slipped into and fit in the pocket of the garment so as to be retained upright therein against undue shifting about or displacement without the need for any special or added fasteners or securing means. The upper end portion l2 of the rear leaf in projects out of the pocket above the upper edge or opening or entrance of the pocket so as to cover and protect that portion of. the outer surface or front of the garment l3 at and extending a substantial distance above the pocket entrance, and the other or front leaf ll of the shield is folded to form a downwardly extending flap it that covers the top edge and adjoining upper portion of the front or outer wall of the pocket.

Thus, when placing a pencil, .for instance, point downward, in the pocket, the lead point of the pencil can be placed against the upper projecting portion l2 of the rear leaf, as indicated in Fig. 3, and will be guided by it into the pocket between the leaves of the shield, and neither the pencil nor the users fingers will contact with and mark or soil the covered or shielded portions of the pocket or garment. By preference, the rear leaf projects out of or above-the top of the pocket at least as high as the pencil or other articles which are placed in the pocket 'would normally project above the pocket, so that'neither such projecting portion of the article northe iusers fingers when removing or inserting the article, will contact with the portion of the garment lo- :aiied back of the projecting portion of the ar- Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the shield or protector is made from a single elongated or rectangular strip of suitable relatively thin sheet material which is folded transversely upon itself at l5 so as to form rear and front leaves I and H connected to each other at the bottom of the shield, and a front flap l4, which extends from the top of the front leaf .ll downwardly over the upper edge of the pocket. Transparent or translucent Cellophane, Celluloid or analogous sheet material isa desirable material from which to make the device. Such material, while being thin and light, yet has sufficient stiffness to retain its flat shape and stand upright in the pocket without being secured to the garment, and being nearly transparent. the color of the garment will show through the mavisible and inconspicuous. as there will be less contrast in appearance between the garment and the shield. However. the shield can be made of other relatively still but thin sheet material which, preferably should harmonize more or less in color or appearance with the garment with which it is to be used. The shield thus formed being oil. such light weight and yet of such stiffness as to be self shape-retaining, will tend to 4 hold the pocket, even of a shirt of light-weight material, in shape and prevent it from bagging or sagging out of shape and detracting from the neat appearance of the shirt or garment.

The flap I4 and front leaf 1 I of the shield embrace between them the upper edge portion of the pocket front wall so as to aid in retaining the shield in place in the pocket, and owing to their stiffness, these parts of th shield will hold the upper portionof the pocket front wall from bulging outwardly, thereby preserving a neat appearance and'lessening the chance of displacement of the shield from its intended position in the pocket, or the falling of articles from the pocket, This action of the flap can be augmented if desired by corrugating or ribbing the flap transversely as shown at i6. No separate or additional fastenings or means for securing the shield in place are-required. However, when a pencil or similar article is used which is equipped with the usual clip for retaining it in a pocket or holder, the pencil clip acts to clamp the folded flap ll of the shield on the upper edge portion of the pocket and (thereby firmly retain the shield in place in the pocket Furthermore, the flap portion of the shield will protect the pocket wall or edge to prevent the clip from wearing or tearing the same. In addition, the corrugations of the flap, cooperating with the holding clip of the pencil or article will reduce the chance of the accidental escape of the article from its place,

between the leaves of the shield.

In the simplest, lightest and least expensive drawings, its front and rear walls In and Ii are connected only at the bottom of the shield, leaving the side edges of the shield open. If desired however, the front and rear walls can be secured together at their side edges, thus making the shield in the form of a thin case or container which is open at its upper end only, being closed at its bottom and side edges so as to prevent the possibility of pencils or other slender articles from protruding from the container at its sides form of the shield, shown in Figs, 1 to 3 of the 4 or bottom and possibly puncturing the garment pocket. This can be done in any suitable way, as for instance. by folding'the side margins ll of one wall over the edges of and cementing or otherwise securing them to the other wall of the shield, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Any other appropriate means for securing together the side edge portions of the opposite shield walls could be employed, such for example as eyelet or other fastening elements passing through the side margins of the walls.

I claim as my invention:

A shield which is insertable into a pocket of a garment and which is formed of a single sheet of relatively stiff, thin material of a width slightly less than thewidth of said pocket and of a length substantially greater than double the depth of said pocket, said sheet of material being folded transversely with respect to its length to provide to cover and protect the portion of the garmentadjacent and above the pocket opening and the upper, end of the front panel being folded downwardly so that it may overlie the upper edge-of the pocket to protect the upper portion of the outer side ofthe pocket ofthe garment and be engaged by the clips of pencils and the like in sorted into the pocket, the material of said shield having a stiffness suflicient to cause said panels to remain upright without attachment to the garment, the side marginal edges of said front and rear panels being free with respect to one another, whereby said panels may lie flat against one another substantially throughout the length of the front panel when the shield is not in use and may readily separate with respect to one another when anything is inserted into the pocket.

, HURLEY SMITH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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