US1020347A - Collapsible cup. - Google Patents

Description

J. L. FOLLBTT.

GOLLAPSIBLE 0UP.

APPLIOA'TION FILED OUT. 3, 1911.

1,020,347. Patented Mar. 12,1912.

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ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANNER?" CD" WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JENNIE L. FOLLETT, OF ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

GOLLAPSIBLE CUP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ENNIE L. FOLLETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Collapsible Cup, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention is an improvement in collapsible drinking cups, and the object thereof is to provide a construction of this sort which will not have to be touched with the hands when it is made ready for use. The cup is therefore always clean when used, as there is no chance that any dirt or dust upon the hands of the user will get into the water or other liquid which the cup holds. With this end in view I provide a cup made in telescoping sections which are distended by means of springs. The springs are compressed when the cup is to be collapsed, by means of a lid or cover which engages with r the base of the cup and is locked thereby in position. When the cover is removed, the

springs distend the sections and thus automatically make the cup ready for use.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this s ecificatlon, 1n WlllOh the same characters of reference indicate the same parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved form of cup; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the housings for the springs by means of which the cup sections are distended; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

On the drawings the base of the cup is shown at 1, and this base has a rim 2, in which notches 8 are formed at diametrically opposite points. These notches communicate with grooves 3, which extend for a suitable distance within the rim in the same direction from the bottom of each of the notches 3, and are designed to receive projections 4 formed upon the outside of a casl ing or cover 5 at the level of the rim thereof.

The grooves 3 are provided with thickened portions'3 at the entrance thereto, as shown Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 652,499.

in Fig. 4; and when the casing 5 is applied to the base, some force will be required to rotate it to cause the projections 4, when these projections have reached the bottom of the notches 3, to pass the thickened portions 5 and enter the grooves 3. \Vhen however, the casing is applied in this way and turned so as to force the projections 4 into the grooves 3, the thickened portions 3 will serve to hold the casing in locked position, by preventing the projections 4 from slipping past the ends of the grooves 3' into the bottom of the notches 3, in which position the casing could come off. By my construction, however, the projections 4 are practically locked in the grooves 3, and

there is no danger that the casing will ever get loose and displaced from the bottom of the cup while it is being carried about in the pocket of the owner.

Projecting from the base 1, inside of the rim 2, is a pair of tubular extensions 6, which telescope within tubular extensions 7. These tubular extensions 6 and 7 contain springs 8, which are normally under compression and tend to force the extensions 7 upward. The tops of the extensions or sleeves 7 are open, but are normally closed by removable screw-threaded plugs 7'.

The body of the cup comprises a number of flaring sections 9, which telescope within one another from below upward, the smallest section 9 being at the bottom, and the largest at the top. The lowermost section 9 is preferably integral with the base 1, and the uppermost is fastened by means of solder or screws to the extensions or sleeves 7.

When the cup is collapsed, the sleeves 7 slide down, causing the extensions 6 to telescope within them; and the intermediate and upper sections will rest upon the base 1 in concentric position with the lowermost section 9. WVhen the cup is wanted for use, the springs 8 will force the tubes or sleeves 7 upward, raising the uppermost section 9, which will lift the intermediate section with it until the lower edge of the intermediate section engages the upper edge of the lower section, so that the intermediate and upper sections can then go no farther.

When the cup is inclosed by the base 1 and cover 5, it is only necessary to release and remove the cover 5 in order to allow the springs 8 to distend the cup and make it ready for use. After using, the cover is clapped over the mouth of the cup and the telescoping sections 9 forced down against the pressure of the springs 8. When the cup is completely collapsed the cover is turned to cause the projections 4; to move into the grooves in the rim 2, and the cup is completely concealed and protected against becoming dirty or fouled, until it is to be used the next time.

From the above description it will be seen that the act of applying the cover 5 collapses the cup by forcing the sections 9 together; and that when the cover 5 is taken off, the springs 8 distend the sections without necessitating taking hold of these sections by hand. In fact, the telescoping sections 9 are never touched by anything except the lips of the user; and the likelihood of any diseases being transmitted by drinking from a cup of this construction is reduced to practically nothing. The purpose of closing the top of the sleeve 7 with the removable plugs 7 is to enable the spring 8 to be readily removed and replaced without taking the cup apart, and to enable the extensions 6 and sleeves 7 to be mopped out in case they should ever become clogged with dirt. Further, the rim 2 is made solid, except where it has the notches 3 in the grooves 3, so that it cannot serve to catch extraneous matter. Hence, with the above construction there is not a cavity or hole in the cup which cannot be reached if need be for the purpose of cleaning the same.

I wish to have it understood that I may make certain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts, such as fairly fall within the scope and spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A collapsible drinking cup comprising a plurality of telescoping sections, spring means for distending said sections when the cup is needed for use, means comprising a casing or cover for collapsing said cup against the force of said springs without bringing the hands of the operator into contact with the body of said cup, and means for retaining the sections of said cup in collapsed relation.

2. A collapsible drinking cup comprising a plurality of telescoping sections, a rim projecting from the bottom of one of said sections, spring means engaging said rim and serving to distend said sections when the cup is needed for use, and a cover to be fitted over said sections and said spring means and having means for detachably engaging said rim to permit the cup to be collapsed against the force of said spring means without coming in contact with the hands of the user.

3. A collapsible drinking cup comprising a base, a plurality of telescoping sections mounted upon said base, spring means engaging said base and serving to distend said sections, a cover to fit over said cup, and in terengaging means carried by said base and said cover to secure the cover detachably to the base, said cover being of less height than said cup, whereby, when the cover is applied, the cup can be collapsed and incased without being touched by the hands of the user.

4. A collapsible drinking cup comprising a base, a plurality of telescoping sections mounted upon said base, a plurality of cylindrical extensions connected to said base beside said sections, a corresponding number of sleeves secured to one of said sections, said sleeves receiving said extensions, springs for distending said sleeves with respect to the said extensions to make the cup ready for use, and means detachably engaging said base for collapsing said cup against the force of said springs, without allowing the body of the cup to be touched by the hands of the user.

5. A collapsible drinking cup comprising a base having a rim, said rim having notches with laterallyextendi-ng grooves therein, a plurality of telescoping sections mounted upon said base, a plurality of hollow cylindrical extensions projecting upward from said base, a plurality of sleeves connected to one of said sections and receiving said extensions, spring means within said extensions and said sleeves for distending said sections, and a cover having projections from its rim in position to enter the notches and grooves in the rim of said base, said cover being of less height than the cup, whereby the cup can be collapsed against the force of said spring means when the cover is applied to the cup, without being touched by the hands of the user.

6. A collapsible drinking cup comprising a base having a rim, said rim having notches with laterally-extending grooves therein, said grooves containin looking or retaining means, a plurality o telescoping sections mounted upon said base, a plurality of hollow cylindrical extensions projecting upward from said base, a plurality of sleeves connected to one of said sections and receiving said extensions movable means for closing one end of the said sleeves, spring means within said extensions and said sleeves for distending said sections, and a cover having projections from its rim in position to enter the notches and grooves in the rim of the base and be held therein by In testimony whereof have signed my the locking means, said cover being of less name to this specification 1n the presence of height than the cup, whereby the cup can be two subscribing witnesses.

collapsed against the force of said spring J ENNIE L. FOLLETT. means when the cover is applied to the cup, Witnesses:

without the cup being touched by the hands ANNIE L. HOOPER,

of the user. ARTHUR W. SAFFORD.

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

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