US2602482A - Washing bag - Google Patents

Description

E. B. LYON WASHING BAG July 8, 1952 Filed June 2. 1949 I N VEN TOR.

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Patented July 8, 1 952 WASHING BAG I Edna B. Lyon, Detroit, Mich. y

Application June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,773

- My invention relates to open-mesh containers 4 or bags of Anet-woven type in which ythe various parts of the bag structure are constructed and arranged in va novel manner in order to secure maximum strength and wearing quality and to greatly facilitate the washing of articles which may be enclosed therein.

In recent years there has in the number of automatic washingA machines,

vnot only in the hands of private owners but also in launderettes or self-service laundries and other places where the members of the public are permitted to carry out .the Washing loperations in been alarge increase rented automatic washing machines. vOnejoffthe Y difficulties of utilizingY such equipment arises from the fact that many articles which are nor-` mally present in a household Wash are likely to be torn orr otherwise damaged. For example, fastening means, such as belts, buckles, straps, buttons and `so forth, are more or less frequently damaged or detached.. Moreover, many garments are required to be washed which are of such'delicate structure or fragile materials as to require protection during the washing operation such,

for example, ascurtains, silk or lace garments,

f sheer handkerchiefs, nylonv stockings, and runners of various types Which are likely to .become entwined or twisted among other articles being washed or in the paddles or other equipment of the washing machine itself. f y Y The primary object of my-.inventionis to so design an open-meshbag for use in automatic washing machines that such articles as those above-mentioned may vbe enclosed and. loosely retained therein while being subjected to adequate Washing and, at the same time, protected against such damage as might otherwise occur.

My invention contemplates suchy a bag structure of relatively light weight, constructed of such material as cotton mesh or nylon mesh in which the maximum linear dimension. of any openings therethrough may never exceed 32 Vto 1%; of Van inch and in which at least 1/3 and preferably 1/2 or more of the surface of thevmaterial may he open to facilitate the flow of the Water therethrough and accommodate a complete and thorough washing of such goods as may be enclosed within the bag. AThe maximum sizeof the opening should be such as to-permit free iiow of the water through the bag and, at the same time, small enough as to confine such portions of articles enclosed therein as maybe likely to project therethrough. 1

Still another object of my invention is to so design such a bag as to permit practically th'e enf to disclose the securing which may readily be lsecured or the open mesh structure and the 2 f tire surfacethereof to accommodate free'lflow ofthe water therethrough and so designedthat a minimum ofwaste will occur in theA manufacturing process. I

VMy novel vbag structure contemplates an` arrangement generally 'r ectangular in form'vvhich one simple'folding operamay be constructed by ror crossvvise of the irlzia'g,

tion, either lengthwise yand stitching around the edges to bejoined of ,same time they Yform of resilient stitch, vsuch as the so-called such forml as will fold in said open'dges at the are secured together lby some overcast or other similar` stitch, which ,willpr'otect the sewed edges and at'the same time insure the proper functioning of .the bagas above set forth. J

An important novel feature of my bag is the manner in Iwhich a portion only of one side or edge of the bag is provided with an'opening of such character as to prevent the'eg'ress'therefrom of articles onceenclosed and, at the same time, leave substantially the whole area of the bag available as washing surface through which the water may readily pass. Y

Another object of my invention is to design suchabag as that described of generally rectangular form, having at least three edges completely closed and the fourth edge closed adjacent both .corners and Iopenfv therebetween, with a seriesof fastening means along said open portion v released and of such character as will notv interfere withthe washing operationv in automatic machines,

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective side elevation with the edges of the opening laid back means.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of a portion of the bag at the open end, showing in greater detail construction at the mouth end of the bag.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view comparable'to Figure 2, illustrating a zippertype fastening for the mouth of the bag.

Describing my novel structure in detail, it may be noted that the bag generally indicated at 2 is of rectangular form vwith the opening orvr mouth 4 at the top thereof. As illustrated, said bag may be formed of a single piece of materiall folded upon itself at the bottom `edge 6 and stitched or overcast at rthe opposite sides thereof as at 8 and I0. The top corners, as at I2 and I 4, are lockstitched inwardly along theupper edge thereof so that they will beclosed'and the mouth 4 may 3 bag. Along the inner and oppositely facing edges of the mouth |4 may be rmly secured as by a lock-stitch as at lli and I8 (Figure 2) a tape 20 formed of closely woven material, the stitching at the ends of said tape carryinginto the portions l2 and I4 at the opposite sides of the mouth 4 and the ends of said tapes being secured by the stitching at I2 and I4. The tape 20 at one side of the mouth may have a series of snapper buttons 22' evenly spacedY therealong and the Vopposite tape may likewise have equally spaced therealcng snapper eyes 24. Both portions of the snappers 22 and 24 are so enclosed within thev tapes 120 that the only projecting parts are the button portions 22 which snap into the eyes 24. No other metal is exposed and these 'buttons,.of

course, are also enclosed when thebag. has been shut and is ready to place in the Washing machine.

exposed.

The open-mesh .character of the. material of which 4the -bag is formed isvvel-lillustrated-at 26 in. which it may be seen,that, I have illustrated a material which is relatively loosely woven in order to accommodatethe free-flow of the water therethrough as ,above described, AlthoughA I have illustrated a Weave in which the warp and ,the woof each consists of a plurality of threads relativelyclose together and separated `from the next similar group-bye. relativelywide space, nevertheless, it: willbe understood that vary-ing formsof warp and Woof arrangements may be permitted, providing .sufficient open space is afforded .to-- accomplish theV purposes above set forth.

course, that the materialofwhich the Abag isA con-l By this means, no metal whatsoever is bunching, gathering or vfolding .overat one end ``35 An important feature of my novel bag is the structed may be foldedlengthwise or crosswise of the bag. If it is. folded lengthwise, as illustrated in Figure 1, stitching will be necessary at both sides and along the opposite edges of the top. If it is. folded crossvvise, stitching will be required. along thebottom, along oneside and at opposite, edges of the top.v It Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artv that economy of certainwidth material may be secured by folding in one direction and of a different width of material may bev had by folding 'in the other" direction, depending upon the size or sizes of the bags desired to be formed and the widthsof the various types of materialbeing used. I

In any case,l however, Van important yfeature. of my arrangement, is having the mouth of the bag .placedv intermediately along one side orA end with closed corners at opposite edges of the mouth. This is important because .it permits the opening to be placed most, conveniently forr insertion or removal of the articles whichare tobe enclosed while, at the same time, permitting the corners to be securely sewed and preventing the egress therefrom of small articles, as

might otherwiseftake place if the corners, were.

not so closed.A Atv the same time, the mouth or openingof my novel bag is so `constructed as toperrnit a series offastenings to be affixed along the edges thereof with maximum economy of space sothat substantially the entire surface of the'bag is available for .free flowing of the washing medium therethrough. Economic advantages are obtained by having the mouth extended along only'oneportion of the edge of the bag. lThis -not only reduces the number-,of .fas-

-set relatively close together.

.three sixteenths of an inch teners required and thus lowers the cost but it also permits a more secure structure of the bag itself at opposite sides of the mouth while presenting an extremely neat and convenient arrangement. If the corners were not fully closed at opposite sides of the mouth, small ends, such as belts or sashes, would work out at the edges of the bag. This mouth structure affords an adequate opening which may be conveniently opened orclosed,A While at the* same time it avoids of the bag as is commonly done with pins or ties. Such bunching reduces capacity and is very objectionable because maximum surface needs to be available for the Water to wash through.

The fastening means illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are snapper-type fasteners, and these are It will be understood, of course, that a zippertype fastener might be used to close the opening, as illustrated in the fragmentary View of Figure 3, generally similar to theview of Figure 2 but wherein the tapes 28 and 30 at opposite sides of the opening have co-acting zipper means 32 xed therealong for closing the opening. As in the modification of Figures 1 and 2, the fastening means are secured on Athe inner faces of the sides of the mouth and spaced'from the extreme edges lthereof so that themetal isnot exposed when is closed. A

tremity of said'fourth margin and adapted to close said mouthand be retained therewithin,

said mouth extending along at least one-'half the 'length of said fourth margin, said fabric having openings in which the maximum linear dimenvsion thereof does not exceed from three thirtyseconds to three sixteenths of an inch and said openingsA comprising from one third to three fourths of the surface of said bag, the structure and arrangement of said mouth and closing meansv affording maximum washing capacity of said bag without bunching, gathering and crowding at the mouth end thereof.

2. A washing bag formed of net material folded upon itself to define one side and stitched around the meeting edges thereof to close entirely three 4sides and stitched along portions of the fourth side at opposite, extremities thereof, an opening formed between said extremities with closely Woven tape means securely stitched along opposite face'sofr said opening and into said extremities, the respective tape means at opposite faces of said opening having complementary fastening means therealong adapted to be secured to each other to close said openingand conceal said fastening means, said fastening means and said openingv being so constructed and arranged as to avoid gathering and launching of said net material and affording maximum capacity and Washing area, said net material having open spaces therein not exceeding three thirty-seconds to and comprising not to exceed one third to three fourths of the total surface of said bag. Y

3. In a Washing bag, a structure formed of flexible fabric of interlaced strands, said fabric v being folded over itself to form one side and stitched around the meeting edges thereof to form three sides entirely closed and a fourth side closed along portions at opposite ends thereof and open intermediate said closed portions to dene a mouth for insertion or removal of articles designed to be washed therein, said stitched portions at opposite sides of said mouth forming closed corners of said bag with the adjacent sides thereof to prevent escape of small articles en` closed therewith at the mouth end of said bag, the Warp and Woof arrangementfof said fabric being so formed that the openings therethrough comprise at least one third but not more than three fourths of the surface thereof and each of said openings having a maximum linear dirnension not to exceed three thirty-seconds to three sixteenths of an inch, and closely Woven tape carrying snap closing means stitched entirely around said mouth and into said adjacent portions and retained Within said bag when closed.

4. In a Washing bag, a structure comprising mesh material stitched around the meeting edges thereof to form three sides entirely closed and a fourth side closed at opposite ends thereof and open intermediate said ends to define -a mouth, and closely woven tape With fastening means spaced therealong stitched on the opposite sides of said mouth and into said closed ends, said mouth and fastening means being so constructed and arranged as to afford maximum washing capacity of said bag without bunching or gather-v ing any portion thereof, said mesh material having openings with maximum linear dimensions not to exceed three thirty-seconds to three sixteenths ,of an inch and comprising at least one third the total surface of said bag.

5. In a Washing bag, a structure comprising mesh material stitched around the meeting edges thereof to form three sides entirely closed and the fourth side closed at opposite ends thereof and open intermediate said ends to dene a mouth .for insertion or removal of articles rdesigned to be washed therein, closing means for said mouth so constructed and arranged as to afford maximum capacity and washing area at the mouth end of said bag Without gathering or bunching said mesh material, said mouth comprising closely Awoven tape stitched around the margins thereof and into said opposite endsy of ysaidfourth side, said tape 'carrying spaced fastening means to close said mouth and retain said tape and fastening means within said mouth when closed, said meshmaterial affording full washing surface with openings therein having maximum linear dimensions not to exceed three thirty-seconds to three sixteenth of an inch and comprising at least on third of the total surface of said bag.

EDNA B. LYON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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