US1523787A - Household article - Google Patents

Description

A. MONTANO HOUSEHOLD ARTI CLE ,ym m, m25.

Filed Oct. 16, 1923 K6' Y K0 4f f3 5 Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

- UNITED STATES ANTONIO MONTANO, or LA JARA, COLORADO.

HOUSEHOLD ARTICLE.

Application iledOctober 16, 1923. Serial No. 668,845.

To all who/m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTONIO MoN'rANo, a citizen of the United States, residing at La J ara, in the county of Conejos and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Household Articles,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed to improvements' in household articles for dining tables and provides a plurality of separate compartments embodied in a single receptacle.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a table article presenting c ompartments at its upper and lower ends and which is reversible whereby it may be stood on either end without spilling the contents, means being provided for normally closing the said compartments.

A further object is to provide a device of the character |above specified which is of generally improved construction and design, and which embodies the novel arrangement of parts as is described hereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the proposed article, the same being inv section to illustrate the interior construction thereof,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, disclosing the closure means for the upper compartment, and

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view, showing the closure means for the lower compartment.

This table article is preferably made of glass, tho it may of course be formedof any other suitable material, and is shaped as illustrated in the drawing whereby it comprises upper and lower cup members 10 and 11 which open outwardly from each other and which have their inner adjacent ends slightly spaced apart by the intermediate integral connecting portion 12. Portion 12 is suitably rounded, as shown, to provide a gripping ring whereby the article may be conveniently grasped and lifted.

Cup 10 is provided with a plurality -of compartments, `preferably four in number, presenting separate receptacles 13 which may be used for holding various purposes, such as for holding salt, pepper, tooth picks, and any other spices or articles. Cup 10 is reduced in thiclmess adjacent its upper edge to provide a shoulder or ledge 14 to accommodate a circular closure plate 15 which is secured to the central partition 16 of the cup as indicated at 17. Plate 15 is provided with an opening 18 above each compartment 13 and has a plurality of lids 19 mounted thereupon for closing the splid opening. These lids are arranged in pai s as shown in Figure 2 and the members of each pair are connected by hinges 20, the bolt or pivotof the said hinges being a rod 21 arranged transversely of the upper end of the cup, as illustrated. A spring 22 encircles the rod above each hinge and is suitably connected to the latter for maintaining them in open position, the said spring being tensioned to exert an outward thrust on the hinges. The lids are maintained in closing position, against the tension of the said spring, by lock means including a casing 23 mounted on each lid 19 and supporting a spring pressed latch bolt 24 normally engaging anopening 25 in the adjacent wall of the cup. Normally engaged in the same Opening is the lug 26 of a latch releasing' member 27, the latter comprising a spring har fastened to the side of the cup at one end byl a screw or other fastener 28 and flexed to normally position lug 26 within the opening. Consequently, when latch bolt 24 engages the opening, lug 26 is moved outwardly against the tension of spring bar `27 whereby the latter is positioned as illustrated in Figure 1. I

When it is desired to release the lid of any compartment, it is merely necessary to press the bar 27 inwardly to dislodge the latch bolt from the opening whereupon the lid Will be automatically raised to open position with the action of spring 22. Lower cup 11 presents a receptacle of large capacity or which may be used as a sugar bowl. The louter edge of this bowl is provided with a shoulder 1 4 corresponding to shoulder 14 of the uper cup 10 and a closure plate 15 correspon ing to plate 15. However, plate 18 is provided with but a single Opening, as indicated at 29, which is provided in the fixed portion of the plate, the latter having a lid section 30, hingedly connected to section 15', as indicated at 31, the connection being in the form of a spring-actuated hinge as described above in connection with cup 10, whereby the section 30 normally tends to swing to open position to uncover the sugar bowl. Latch and latch releasing means such as previouslydescribed are also associated wit cup 11 as indicated generally at 32.

Closure 30 is used when filling the bowl with sugar for for drawing out the. sugar with spoons, the smaller opening being useddor dispensing sugar in small amounts at a tnue, the amounts being regulated by means of a, pivoted cut-oli? plate 33 pivoled on the under side of section l5', as indicated at 34 for swinging movement across opening 29, a suitable lug 25 being provided on the cutoff place :for engaging the side ot' the opening to limit movement of the cut-o?.

In use the article may be stood on either end Without spilling the contents, the hd for the various compartments being normally held closed as above described to prevent escape of the contents. When the article is positioned as shown in Figure 1 1t will be seen that the lower cup constltutes the supporting base of the article, the weight of the material therein serving to 1ncrease the stability of the article, as will be obvious. Since the device is reversible, end for end, it will be seen that either of the cups may be used as a base.

From the foregoing it is thought that the advantages and novel features of the invention can be readily understood and that further details thereof is not required.l

lV hat is claimed is:

l. A table article presenting a receptacle, a lid for the receptacle. latch means carried by the lid and normally holding the lid in closed position, said latch means including a spring-pressed latch bolt engaged in an opening in the, wall of the receptacle, a springI for moving 4the said lid into open position automatically upon release of the said latch means`r and a latch releasing member consisting 'of a spring bar having one end fastened to the side of the receptacle and having its other end provided with a lug adapted, when forced into the said openon the said rod, latch outward thrust ing of the receptacle to dislodge the said latch bolt.

A table article presentin a receptacle, a rod arranged transversely o the outer end of the said receptacle, a lid for the said receptacle, said lid being hingedly supported means carried by the said lid and normally engaged with the receptacle for maintaining the lid in closed position, a spring encircling the said rod and connected to thel said lid for exerting an upon the lid whereby the latter is moved into open position automatically upon release of the latch means, and manually-operated latch releasing means on the outside ot' the receptacle.

3. A table article including a receptacle presenting a plurality of separate compartments, a closure plate secured to the receptacle and extending over all the compartments, said plate being provided with an opening above each compartment, a plural ity of lids for closing the said openings, said lids being arranged in pairs with the members of each pair connected by hinges, a rod arranged transversely of the outer end of the receptacle and extending thru the said hinges of the lids to provide the hinge holt of the connections. latch means carried b v each lid and normallyengaged with the wall of the receptacle vto maintain the lid in closed position, springs encircling the said rod adjacent the hinges oi the said lids and connected to the latter for exerting an outward thrust thereupon so as to move the lid into open position automatically upon release of the latch means and latch releasing means on the outside of the receptacle and adjacent the latch means of each compartment.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ANTONIO MONTANO.

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