Apparel – General structure – Pockets
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-15
2002-04-23
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
General structure
Pockets
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374421
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to pockets for trousers, and, more particularly, to an improved trouser safety pocket having an inner, sewn-in compartment that traps change from falling out of the pocket when the individual sits down, and which also provides a means for protecting paper currency from being purloined by pick pockets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the art of pocket manufacturing, there have been many suggested designs for safety pockets (i.e., pockets that protect against the loss of change and other valuables, when a person sits down). One early design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,075,240, issued to: J. Barrett on Oct. 7, 1913, entitled SAFETY POCKET FOR TROUSERS. In this design, the pocket has a flange-like extension disposed below and to the left of the pocket opening. Change and other pocket contents that come to rest in the bottom of the pocket are caused to migrate to, and become trapped in, the flange-like extension, when the person sits down or assumes a supine position. The change, or other valuables, follows the curvature of the pocket, when moving to the flange-like extension. Thus, these valuables will not fall out of the pocket when the individual is seated. The change and valuables will automatically return to the bottom of the pocket along the same pathway when the person returns to the upright position.
Although the above pocket design is very useful in trapping most change or valuables resting in the bottom of the pocket, it does nothing for protecting these items from willful extraction by pickpockets, and other nefarious individuals.
Another such safety pocket is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. Re. 15,646, reissued to C. R. Wood on Jul. 10, 1923, entitled POCKET FOR WEARING APPAREL. In this design, a broad flap extends across the pocket opening. The large flap is designed to entrap change when the wearer assumes a reclining position. The flap, however, is not designed to protect against deliberate intrusion and purloining of valuables disposed therein.
In much earlier U.S. Pat. No. 127,339, issued on May 28, 1872 to L. Goodyear for SAFETY-POCKETS, a watch pocket is shown having an internal compartment for holding change or other valuables. The watch pocket and its accompanying internal compartment is very small, and would not hold a sizable amount of change. Furthermore, the pocket is disposed in that portion of the trousers that would not suffer the loss of change when the individual was seated. The flap appears to be intended to store or hide a limited amount of valuable items that would be difficult to reach by an intruder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,116,643, issued to W. H. Strobel, on Nov. 10, 1914, for TROUSERS POCKET, a pocket is illustrated having a demarcation line sewn across a portion of the width of the pocket, just below the entrance thereof. The design is similar to that shown in the aforementioned patent issued to J. Barrett, because change resting in the bottom of the pocket will naturally flow to, and be trapped by, the inner portion of the pocket defined by the area disposed below the demarcation line. Such a design cannot protect against thievery.
More recently, a pocket having an inner compartment is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,549, issued to Thomas on Jun. 17, 1997 for CHANGE-SAFE POCKET. The inner compartment is disposed within the pocket in such a manner as to catch change when the wearer sits down or leans backwards. There is no provision for protecting any pocket valuables against theft.
In summary, there are myriad designs for safety pockets that feature inner flaps, compartments, or sewn-in demarcations for trapping loose change and other valuables when the individual assumes a seated position. There are also designs, such as that illustrated in the aforementioned Goodyear patent, that are strictly for hiding or protecting valuables against robbery. However, there does not appear to be a pocket compartment flap, or demarcation, that will provide both types of safety. In other words, there does not appear to be a single design that allows the user to be safe from both loss and theft.
The present invention reflects the discovery of a trapezoidally-shaped compartment with a narrow entrance disposed in the lower half of a trouser pocket. The compartment is sewn into the lower portion of the pocket below the opening. This inner compartment provides safety against both loss and theft. The pocket compartment traps loose change from rolling out of the pocket when the individual wearer is seated, and additionally functions to hide large bills (paper currency) from the intruding hands of a pickpocket. The inner compartment has a small opening disposed in the bottom thereof for receiving change rolling along the bottom edge of the pocket. The small opening can be used to tuck bills of large denomination into the upper area of the compartment. Any hand reaching into the lower portion of the pocket would not be able to reach into, and extract the contents from, the narrow compartment entrance without extreme difficulty, and without certain detection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety pocket that protects the trouser wearer from both loss of change and theft of large bills. A small, trapezoidally-shaped compartment having a narrow entrance is sewn into the lower half of a trouser pocket just below the pocket opening. The inner compartment has a small opening disposed in the bottom thereof for receiving change rolling along the bottom edge of the pocket when the trouser wearer assumes a supine position. The small opening can also be used to tuck bills of large denomination into the upper area of the compartment. Any hand reaching into the lower portion of the pocket would not be able to reach into, and extract the contents from, the narrow compartment entrance without extreme difficulty, and without certain detection.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved safety pocket for trousers.
It is another object of this invention to provide a safety pocket that is effective against both loss of small change and theft of large denomination bills.
REFERENCES:
patent: 56821 (1866-07-01), Strecher
patent: 127339 (1872-05-01), Goodyear
patent: 198753 (1878-01-01), Perry
patent: 1075240 (1913-10-01), Barrett
patent: 1108124 (1914-08-01), Blomenstein
patent: 1116643 (1914-11-01), Strobel
patent: 1122636 (1914-12-01), Prendergast
patent: 1226640 (1917-05-01), Charles
patent: 1255497 (1918-02-01), Ankele
patent: RE15646 (1923-07-01), Wood
patent: 1494067 (1924-05-01), D'iorio
patent: 1522664 (1925-01-01), Wood
patent: 1529820 (1925-03-01), Wood
patent: 1850827 (1932-03-01), Charles
patent: 1940695 (1933-12-01), Petronio
patent: 1942410 (1934-01-01), Charles
patent: 2011010 (1935-08-01), Peters
patent: 2421695 (1947-06-01), Henson
patent: 2557366 (1951-06-01), Wennerstrom
patent: 2732560 (1956-01-01), Frederiksen, Sr.
patent: 2899684 (1959-08-01), Riley
patent: 3077604 (1963-02-01), Colangelo
patent: 5638549 (1997-06-01), Thomas
Calvert John J.
Hoey Alissa L.
Salzman & Levy
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