Claims
- 1. A wallet guard for use with a wallet and adapted to be used when placed in a pocket having a lower seam and a pair of side seams defining the width thereof to prevent removal therefrom, the wallet guard comprising:
- A. a frame having a base with a pair of arms extending upwardly from said base, each said arm including a lower section integrally coupled to said base and an upper section terminating in a free end, said arms movable between an open position and a closed position, whereby in the open position the distance between said free ends is normally greater than the width of the pocket such that said arms will be biased inwardly by the side seams when inserted into the pocket with the base adjacent the lower seam to provide the upper portion of the pocket in tension,
- B. engaging means including a gripping jaw formed at said free end of said upper section of each of said arms, each said gripping jaw having a distal end extending outwardly from said arm, such that said jaws engage the side seams of the pocket in the open position of the wallet guard to prevent removal therefrom, and said arms are narrower than the width of the pocket in the closed position thereof,
- C. retaining means associated with said arms for removably securing said arms at said upper sections thereof in releasably fixed relationship to each other to maintain the closed position when insertion or removal of the wallet guard and wallet with respect to a pocket is desired, such that in the closed position of the wallet guard it may be inserted within the pocket of the user and in the open position removal thereof is prevented,
- D. locking means associated with said retaining means so as to readily maintain said arms in the closed position thereof when said arms are compressed towards each other a defined distance,
- E. said locking means includes a protrusion having a slot therein extending from one of said arms, and a neck on the other of said arms adapted to extend in frictional interlocking relationship within said slot in the closed position and readily separable for movement to its open position, and
- F. guide means at one end of said protrusion for guiding said neck along said protrusion until said slot is reached and said neck is received therein for said interlocking relationship.
- 2. A wallet guard as in claim 1, wherein each said gripping jaw includes a gripping element which is formed having a top wall and a side wall, said walls being angularly disposed relative to each other and terminating in said distal end.
- 3. A wallet guard as in claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a shoulder angularly disposed relative to said protrusion for engaging said neck and deflecting said arm until said neck is seated within said slot.
- 4. A wallet guard as in claim 1, wherein said base and said arms each have a front edge and a rear edge with the respective edges of said base and said arms extending in the same common plane.
- 5. A wallet guard as in claim 1, wherein said arms extend outwardly from said base in the open position thereof, and are fabricated of a resilient material tending to separate from the closed position to the open position upon release of said retaining means.
- 6. A wallet guard as in claim 1, wherein said retaining means includes:
- a. a pair of oppositely disposed fingers terminating in a front end and extending inwardly of said upper sections of each of said arms and in alignment with each other, and
- b. said locking means is associated with said front end of each said finger so as to readily maintain said arms in the closed position thereof when said arms are compressed towards each other.
- 7. A wallet guard as in claim 6, wherein said fingers are positioned at substantially said free end of said arms.
- 8. A wallet guard as in claim 6, including gripping means associated with each of said arms to facilitate release of said locking means such that the open position is readily obtained.
- 9. A wallet guard as in claim 8, wherein said gripping means includes an extension having a top end and a front face on each of said fingers extending upwardly therefrom.
- 10. A wallet guard as in claim 3, wherein said protrusion includes a front face and a rear face and said shoulder is inclined inwardly from said rear face to said front face.
- 11. A wallet guard as in claim 9, wherein said slot is contained inwardly of said front face.
- 12. A wallet guard as in claim 1, including separating means associated with said arms, said separating means including a rib extending between said arms for providing an outwardly directed force so as to aid in retaining said arms in the open position thereof.
- 13. A wallet guard as in claim 1, including hinge means extending between each said arm and said base so as to permit angular movement of each said arm independently relative to said base.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending applications Ser. No. 051,106, filed June 2, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,476, which entire subject matter of the copening application is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
54798 |
Jul 1920 |
SEX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
51106 |
Jun 1979 |
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