US1431288A - Lid for jars of steam tables - Google Patents

Description

V. S. CORDER. LID FIOR JARS OF STEAM TABLES.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

Patented Get. 19, 1922.

users STATES VANCE S. CORIJER', OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LID FOR JARS OF STEAM TABLES.

Application filed October 31, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VANcn S. Connnn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lids for Jars of Steam Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to covers for cool:- ing dishes and the like, and more particularly to covers which are especially adapted for closing the earthen pots of steam tables.

The object of the invention is toprovide a cover which may be folded upon itself in such a manner as to uncover but a portion of a receptacle and the folded portions will lie upon the undisturbed portion within the confines of the top of the receptacle so as to not interfere with the free access of tlieother adjacent receptacles of the steam table.

It is also an object to provide a cover having a multiple fold so that only a small portion of the area of the top of the receptacle may be uncovered if desired or a major portion thereof uncovered to gain full and free access to the receptacle.

A further object is to provide simple and convenient means for attaching the cover to the receptacle to hold it firmly yet detachably in place thereon so that the foldable portions of the cover may be manipulated without displacement of the cover from the receptacle.

It'is also an object of the invention to pro vide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement whereby the cover is made particularly adaptable for application to the pots of steam tables as such receptacles are commonly constructed.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawing in whichi Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steam table pot provided with a cover illustrative of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section with the cover in closed position, and

Fig. i is a similar view with the cover in folded position.

The earthen pots of steam tables as ordinarily constructed comprise a body 1 having Serial No. 511,601.

an upper outwardly projecting and rounded edge flange 2 .with an annular rib or lip 3 projecting from the outer face of the body and located at a short distance below and parallel with therib 2. This flange 3 is provided to support the pot within the opening in the steam table, the flange resting upon the top of the table.

Ordinarily these pots are provided with the ordinary removable covers but to gain access to a pot the cover must be removed and laid aside, thus opening the entire top of the pot which permits the contents to cool rapidly. Further it is necessary to find some place to place the removed cover and it is usually laid aside on some other portion of the steam table and must be again moved in order to get it out of the way when it is desired to gain access to some other pot of the table.

In the present construction the cover is formed of a plurality of sections. the section 4 being a stationary section which is secured to the rim 2 of the pot in a manner hereinafter described. A central transverse section 5 is attached to the stationary section f by means of a hinge 6 and a front section 7 is attached to the forward end of the section 5 by means of a hinge 8. The pintle 9 of the hinge 6i lies above the plane of the cover so that the section 5 may be folded or swung over and upon the section 4: and the pintle 10 of the hinge 8 lies below the plane of the cover so that the front section 7 may be folded or turned inwardly relative to the section 5 to lie flat upon the inner face of said section 5, said hinge 8 being of a length to fit within the rim of the pot so that the cover may lie fiat upon the rim and the hinge will project slightly into the pot and not interfere with the engagement of the rim portion of the cover in lying flat upon the rim of the pot. To aid in the manipulation of the cover, a handle 11 is provided on the front section 7 and this section is formed with a notch 12 in its edge so that a spoon or ladle may be left in the pot and the cover closed, the stem or handle of the spoon or ladle extending through the notch.

The fined portion 4 of'the cover is detachably secured to the rim of the pot by providing said section with a downwardly bent rim 13 which is curved inwardly to fit the curvature of the lower side of the rim 2 of the pot and along its lower edge this rim 13 is turned outwardly to form an edge groove 14 to receive a securing wire 15 adapted to encircle the pot and secure the rim 13 of the section 4 infirm engagement with the rim of the pot. This wire hoop 15 is formed lIlllO a coil 16 adjacent one end and the end of the coil is provided with an eye to receive a hooked end 17 of the opposite end of the hoop. The coil 16 thus provides resiliency for the hoop so that it can be expanded in the direction of its length and when placed in the groove 14 and around the pot, the resiliency of this spring will cause the hoop to firmly hold it in place and detachably secure the section 4 of the cover to the pot. The cover is thus held upon the pot against detachment for manipulating the hinged sections but may be quickly and conveniently removed for the purpose of cleaning the cover or the pot.

Because of the particular manner in which the sections are hinged together the hinge 6 lies above the plane of the cover and the hinge S lying below this plane, when the operator grasps the handle 11 the tendency of the cover will be to turn upon both of its hinges, the jointed connection between the sections 5 and 7 swinging upwardly about the hinge 6 and thus it is only necessary to push rearwardly against the handle with a slight lifting motion to open the cover.

If it isdesired to open only a small portion of the pot, the front section 7 only may be swung upon its hinge, but if it is desired that a major portion of the top of the pot be opened up, then the sect-ions 5 and 7 may be manipulated, the section 5 swinging baclrwardly and folding flat upon the upper surface of the fixed section 4: and the section 7 folding downwardly upon the inner sur face of the section 5 so that the three sections will then be in superposed relation adjacent one edge of the receptacle where they will be out of the way and where they will all lie substantially within the confines of the periphery of the receptacle and where they will not interfere with free access to other adjacent pots located in the steam table. If found desirable, the section 7, when the cover is in unfolded position as shown in Fig. 4, may be swung backwardly as shown in dotted lines to remove it from over the section 5 which will then form a flat sur' face upon which dishes may be placed.

Obviously any desired number of hinge connected sections may be employed and other changes in the construction and malt ner of securing a cover in place upon the pot may be made and used within the scope of the appended claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such changes being contemplated, I do not therefore limit myself to the particular construe tion shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what lcclaim is:

l. A cover for the purpose described comprising a plurality of hinge connected sections with the hinge connection of certain sections lying above the plane of the upper surface of said sections, and the hinge con nection of other of said sections lying below the plane of the lower surface of said sections, and means for attaching one of said sections to a receptacle.

2. A cover for the purpose described comprising a plurality of hinge connected sec tions adapted to fold, one upon another and to lie, folded, in superposed relation upon one of the end sections with all of said sec tions substantially within the confines of the plane of the periphery of a receptacle to which said cover is attached, and means for connecting said end section to a receptacle.

3. A cover for receptacles, comprising a plurality of hinge connected sections, a flange on one end section of said series to engage a rim of a receptacle, and means engaging said flange to detachably secure said sect-ion to said receptacle.

4:. A cover for receptacles, comprising a plurality of hinge connected sections, a handle upon an end section of said series, a flange upon the other end section of the se ries to engage beneath a rim on a receptacle and formed with an edge groove, and a hoop to embrace the receptacle and engage the groove for detachably hold ng said section in place upon the receptacle.

5. A cover for pots of a steam table, comprising a plurality of hinge connected sections with said hinges extending across the cover in parallel relation to permit the folding of said sections, one upon another and all upon an end section, downwardly ex tending flange on said end section to engage beneath a flange on a pot, said flange being formed with an outturned edge portion forming a groove, and a hoop to embrace the pot below its flange and to lie within said groove, said. hoop being resilient to clamp said flange in place against the pot.

In testimony whereof I affix my ture in presence of two witnesses.

VANCE CUE-DER.

Witnesses: I

ANNA M. Donn, Or'ro- F. BARTHEL.

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