US2176253A - Identification tag - Google Patents

Description

1939- J. A. FOGARTY IDENTIFICATION TAG Filed Jan. 16, 1939 VIIIIIIIIIII/II ZSmJentor JAE E9012? 9L M17 W Patented Oct. 17, 1939 -1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph A. Fogarty, Providence, R. I. Application January 16, 1939, Serial No. 251,234

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to identification tags for application to articles of value, such as golf and handbags, brief cases, umbrellas, garments, pets, various equipment, and practically all articles requiring identification, and has for an object to provide a tag which is substantial in construction, light in weight, inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be conveniently handled and applied to the article and which may be easily opened for access to the interior for changing the identifying data as occasion may require.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tag of this character with a cover or closure plate which, normally, is securely locked in closed position, but which may be easily opened when desired, and which may be made in various sizes and shape, of desired materials, and may be given desired finishes and embellishments to to adapt the tags to various uses and at the same time have an ornamental appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the identification tag of this invention.

Figure 2 is a similar View but with the plate released and swung into open position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the identification tag with the cover plate partially closed and ready to be snapped into interlocking position in the frame.

Figure 4 is an end view of the same, showing the lifting prong about to be snapped into the casing.

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken through the closed device substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a reduced back view of the device, showing the flat surface for receiving advertising matter.

Figure '7 is a face view of the device showing a slight modification, the cover plate having a central opening for inspecting the address card without opening the cover plate, and

Figure 8 is a face view of another slightly modified form wherein the casing may be of oval configuration.

Referring now to the drawing, l5 designates the casing or body member which is of shallow tray construction with a bottom Wa l Of flat or other suitable form and having marginal upstanding flanges I 6 providing the sides of the casing. The casing l5 may be made of sheet metal or the like, and the upper edge portions of the flanges l6 are overturned inwardly to pro- 6 vide a locking bead I! extending about the upper edge of the casing.

The bottom of the casing is adapted to support an address card 18, or the like, which may be positioned through the open upper side of the 10 casing, and may be easily renewed or interchanged as occasion requires. The marginal bead ll is interrupted at opposite ends of the casing to provide slots l9 and 20 and to divide the bead I7 and its flange l6 into opposed yield- 1 able gripping members. The casing has at one end an apertured ear 2| which extends from the slot 20 in the plane of the bottom wall of the casing [5. The open side of the casing is closed by a cover plate 22 having a marginal flaring flange 23 at its inner side adapted to be forced between the yieldable gripping members of the casing bead H, as shown in Figure 5, for yieldably holding the cover plate 22 in the casing. The flange 23 of the cover plate may be, as shown, 25 of suflicient depth to bear against the address card l8 and hold it firmly in the casing.

As the flange 23 of the cover plate flares from the plate, the flange is interlocked with the casing bead I! as the latter springs back into nor- 3 mal position with the bead I! and flange 23 in overlapping relation when the cover plate is snapped into the casing.

The cover plate has a finger 24 extending from the flange 23 at one end thereof and adapted to 5 engage and spring through the slot l9 of the casing when the cover plate is closed to assist in securing the plate closed, and which is used for lifting or springing the cover plate 22 out of the casing for opening the latter. The other end of the cover plate 22 has an apertured ear 25 extending from the flange 23 of the plate for engagement in the slot 20 when the cover plate is closed. The ears 2| and 25 of the casing l5 and the cover plate 22 are adapted to overlie each other, and a jump ring 26, or other suitable connector, may be secured through the ears to hingedly and pivotally connect the ears together. The ring 26 may also be used for suspending the identification tag on a cord, chain or the like depending upon the particular use of the tag.

In use, the tag is opened by forcing the finger 24 outwardly through the slot IQ of the casing. This action cams the cover flange 23 outwardly from between the sides of the casing bead H, the

latter yielding sufiiciently to free the cover plate 22. The cover plate 22 is now swung over into open position, as shown in Figure 2, and the address card l8 may be removed from the casing 15 and inscribed with the desired identification data. The cover plate 22 may now be closed, and this is effected by first fitting the hinged end of the cover plate, adjacent the ears 2| and 25, down into the adjacent end of the casing. The bead ll of the casing may be slightly reduced at the inner end of the casing to admit the easy fitting of the end of the cover plate therein, as shown in Figures 3 and. 4, and then the free end of the cover plate 22 is forced or snapped into the casing, as shown in Figures 1 and 5. The-in: herent resiliency of the material of the casing l5 and cover plate 22 serving to hold "are parts firmly together when the tag is closed,

As shown in Figure 6, the rear side of the tag casing I5 may carry advertisements, names, embellishments or the like and, as shown in Figure 7, the front or'c ve'r filte'"'22e"lnay have a transg parent wall ons'ightbpening"admitting inspection of the'addrss card l8 without opening'the cbvfi o, c

05E course the casing l5 may be given any suitable shape and'siz efs uch as] oblong as shownin Figure 1; oval as shown in Figiire 8; or other Shams a d izv gnd eq l 1- A i en cati n ta om is a casing havin a all a gina r m wi a a a s outer edge, said rim and bead being interrupted at th en of t e asi to adm spreading of the rim and bead, an address card fitted in the bottom of; the casing, a cover plate having a-fiange flaring into said rim past the bead thereon for ldin he co er ate on e a in an v ri saidaddress card, said casing having an ear at one end and said cover plate having a corre p n n t one end, h n e ns e connecting said ears, said cover plate having a finger at its opposite end extending through the interruption in the bead and adapted to be sprung away from the casing for forcing the cover plate into open position against the tension of said rim and bead.

2 An identification tag, comprising a shallow casing having a beaded marginal flange, interrupted at opposite ends of the casing to provide opposite end slots, said casing having an ear projecting from one end in register with the slot, an address card seated in the bottom of the casing, a cover plate having a marginal flange frictionally engaging Within said beaded flange of the casing, said cover plate having an ear projecting from one end adapted to overlie the ear of the casing and project through the adjacent slot in the flange of the casing, said cover plate having at its opposite end a finger projecting through the flange slot at the opposite end of the casing and adapted to be pressed out of the slot for raising the cover flange out of the casing flange and releasing the cover from the casing, and connecting means engaging said ears for intereonnecting the cover plate to thecasing and admitting the swinging of the cover plate into and out of the casing.

3. An identification tag, comprising a casing having a shallow beaded rim interrupted at opposite ends of the casing to provide slots thereat admit yielding time rim under pressure, said casing having at one end an outwardly projecting ear disposed in register with the adjacent rim slot, an address card seated in the bottom ofthe casing, ne er plate having a marginal flange fri ctionally engaging in the casing rimto" hold the cover plate on the casing, said cover plate having an ear projecting from one end and engaging through the rim slot in the casing and over the ad ja ent ear on the casing, means for connecting" said ears together, said cover plate having a finger projecting from its opposite end and engaging through the opposite i 'in the dat n ri S fin er adapted to be forced out of'its rim slot for disengaging the cover flange from the casing rim freeing the cover plate to swing into open position on said ears, said casing rim and said cover plate flange having a relatively loose at theear carrying ends of casing and cover plate, whereby the cover plate may be closed by first fitting the ear carrying end thereof in the adjacent end of the casing and subsequently pressing and snapping the other end of the cover plate into the casing to l,

spring the beaded rim of the casing apart and admit the cover plate flange and to engage the finger in the adjacent slot of the casing rim.

JOSEPH A. FOGARTY.

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