US1019934A - Drinking-cup holder. - Google Patents

Description

J. B. WALKER. DRINKING CUP HOLDER. APPLIoATIoN FILED 11110.28, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. WALKER, OF RUSH SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA.

DRINKING-CUP HOLDER.

Application led December 28, 1911.

skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the class of furniture, and more particularly it is a cabinet adapted to hold drinking cups or glasses and having individual compartments for the same; and the object of the invention is to simplify the construction of such a cabinet and to provide means whereby the cups may be automatically drained and aired after they are placed therein. This and other' objects are accomplished by the construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed7 and as shown in the drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of this invention complete, mounted on a table. F ig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view thereof on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings the numeral l designates a suitable support such as a table, and 2 is the base of this cabinet made preferably round and resting on the support. Through the center of this base is an upstanding drain tube 3 whose lower end communicates in any suitable manner as by the pipe or hose 4 with an outlet or waste receptacle such as the sewer or a bucket not shown. Upon the base is mounted a cylindrical shell `5 made preferably of metal and provided with a number of rectangular openings 6 in each of which is hinged a door 7 having an individual lock 8, the shell when in place standing concentrically around the tube and being connected therewith by a number of rods or wires 9; and finally the top of the cabinet is closed by a dome-shaped cover 10 which may be rendered removable for clos ing the entire structure. Thereby is built up a serviceable and ornamental cabinet,

shown in the accompanying drawings as provided with a series of upright tiers of doors with four in each tier, and it is the purpose of the present invention to permit individuals such as scholars in a school to keep in each pigeon-hole or compartment de- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12,1912.

serial no. 668,309.

scribed below his individual drinking cup or glass so that the same may be removed by unlocking and opening the door and after use replaced within the cabinet for sanitary purposes.

The internal structure of this cabinet will now be described, and I might here say that by preference the entire device excepting possibly the support is made of metal suitably treated to prevent rust and to be asceptic as far as possible. Cabinets of somewhat the same character have hitherto been made for the purpose of containing spools, letter files and papers, and the like; but I am not aware that they have been of skeleton structure so as to permit the free circulation of air through and around the various pigeon holes and yet without permitting the user to have access to any compartment except his own, nor that they have been constructed with a View of permitting the cups or utensils to drain or drip and t0 he aired as will be explained.

Each tier of compartments is formed by an upright sheet'metal strip l1 bent into U-shaped cross section so that its bend forms the back of the compartments, its sides or leaves form the sides thereof, and the front is formed by a row of superimposed doors and the frames thereof which of course are parts of the shell immediately surrounding the door-openings. The edges of said strip are brought against the inner face of the shell at opposite sides of the door openings and secured thereto in any suitable manner as by soldering. The upright tier of compartments thus formed is divided at intervals by horizontal partitions 12 whose front edges are secured to the shell just above each door opening and whose sides and rear edges are secured within the strip 1l, each partition having an opening 13 through its body. Thereby the tier is converted into a series of individual pigeon holes or compartments.

Disposed upon each partition is a ring lll which may be soldered or otherwise secured thereto, and the ring has a surrounding raised flange 15 which is of a size to receive the mouth of an inverted cup or glass, while the opening in the ring registers with that in the shell. I may here say that it is quite possible to omit the ring and rest the cup directly upon the shelf, or to omit the shelf and secure the ring in suitable manner within the strip, but I prefer to use both the shelf and ring as described. The strip 11 is provided through its bend at a point a little distance below each shelf with an opening y16, and through this pasess a trough 17 made substantially triangular in plan view with raised edges 18, its wide front end being secured as at 19 beneath the shelf or to the shell just below the door opening, and its narrow rear end being secured as at 20 to the central pipe 3 just beneath an inlet opening 21 formed therein as shown. These various troughs standing radial to the pipe and connecting it with the interior of the shell thoroughly brace the structure and may, indeed, obviate the necessity for the use of the brace wires 9 above described, or the wires may be disposed only at the upper end of the pipe just beneath the dome or cover.

In use, the parts described are set up as shown in the drawings and each individual user unlocks a door and opens it and inserts his cup in inverted position with its mouth resting within the flange of the ring, so that any water remaining in the cup may pass through the ring and the opening in the shelf, fall onto the wider portion of the trough, and run down the same into the tube out which it passes to the drain in a manner which will be clear. The door is then closed and preferably spring-locked, and thereafter it is impossible for any other user to gain access to the compartment containing the glass that has just been used. Meanwhile the drippings run out of the same, and the air withinv the shell finds free circulation up and down the same between the various troughs and radially outward through the opening in the back of the strip through which said troughs pass, and when the operator comes next to use any cup the same will be quite dry and well aerated. From time to time the dome or cover may be removed and the entire interior cleaned as by steam or pouring hot water through it, or in any suitable way.

If, as preferred, the entire device is of metal, it readily lends itself to such cleaning and will hardly become fouled by the dampness which it contains even though the cups may be used for other liquids than water.

It will not be necessary in this specification to amplify the details of construction and ornamentation, and changes therein may be made as preferred.

l/Vhat is claimed as new is:

l. rlhe herein described drinking cup holder consisting of an upright cylindrical shell pierced with a series of rectangular openings disposed in vertical and horizontal rows, a hinged door closing each opening and provided with an individual lock, a

series of upright strips bent into U-shaped cross section with the edges of their leaves secured inside said shell at opposite sides of a tier of said openings, a series of shelves whereof each is secured within the bent strip thus formed and with its front edge secured within the shell just beneath a door and its body provided with an opening, means on each shelf for supporting an inverted drinking cup, and means communieating with each opening for conveying the drippings from said cup to a drain.

2. The herein described drinking cup holder consisting of an upright cylindrical shell pierced with a series of rectangular openings disposed in vertical and horizontal rows, a hinged door closing each opening and provided with an individual lock, a series of upright strips bent into U-shaped cross section with the edges of their leaves secured inside isaid shell at opposite sides of a tier of said openings, a series of shelves whereof each is secured within the bent strip thus formed and with its front edge secured within the shell just beneath a door and its body provided with an opening, the bend of said strip being provided with slots disposed beneath the several shelves, troughs having upturned edges and with their bodies passing through said slots and their front ends secured beneath the shelf, and an upright drain pipe with which their inner ends communicate for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein described drinking cup holder consisting of'a base, an upright shell mounted thereon and pierced with openings disposed in tiers, a door closing each opening and provided with an individual lock, a series of upright strips bent into U-shaped cross section with the leaves of each strip standing astride a tier of openings and the bend thereof provided with transverse slots disposed beneath the several door-openings,

triangular troughs having their outer ends secured within the shell and their bodies inclined downward and inward and passing through said openings with their edges spaced apart for purposes of ventilation, means connecting their smaller inner ends with a drain, and means for removably supporting a drinking cup above the outer end of each trough and oppositea door.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES B. WALKER. Witnesses:

S. It. GLovnR, S. H. JACKSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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