US1544972A - Plate - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1925. 1,544,972

G. C. GEBELEIN PLATE Filed Sept. 22 1924 Patented July 7 11925.

y UNITED STATES 1,544,912 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE c. annum, or WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.

PLATE.

applicati@ med september 22, 19M.` serial No. 7as,97s.

To all 'whom z't mary concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. GEBEIEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wellesley in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to plates or trays and more particularly to an article of this character which is provided with means for retaining and ho ding 1a liquid receptacle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved form of plate which will adequately serve food and liquid at luncheon parties, teas, picnics and similar gatherings.

With this object in view, the various features of the invention consist in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter vdescribed and claimed, the advanta es of which will be obvious to those skille in the art from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention Fig. 1 is a section in elevation of the improved plate with a cup of conventional form supported thereon; Fig. 2v represents a section in elevation of several plates stacked one upon another and illustrating the manner in which the plates nest; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the plate showing the preferred loczlition of the cup retaining lip within the ate.

p The plate `shown in the illustrated Aembodiment of the invention is preferably molded or drawn into a circular form, as inv dicated at 10 in Fig. 3. The plate is provided with a iat bottom portion 12 surrounded by a rim 14, the walls of the bot` tom portion and rim being of uniform thickness. Located at one side of the Plate and within the upstanding rim 14 is an annular lip 16 raised from the bottom portion 12 and of sucient depth to retain acup or other liquid receptacle, even though the plate may be substantially inclined or tipped from the horizontal. The annular lip 16 is provided with converging walls 18 and 19 which surf round a flat bottom portion 20 positioned the plate, such as sandwiches with soft fillings. It will be evident from an inspection of the drawings that `the annular lip is spaced Well within the surrounding rim of the plate so that the latter may be grasped and supported at any point without contact of the fingers with the cup. This location of the recess leaves a maximum ortion of the plate available for the use o food but permits a cup containing hot liquid to be supported without danger or liability of contact by the person holding the plate.

A plate of this character may be made of metal suitably drawn or molded to form the -plate with the cup retaining lip raised from the bottom portion or it may be molded with the lip therein from paper, fibre composition, or similar material. The formation v'of a relatively deep annular lip in the manner illustratedI is especially advantageous in connection with paper or composition plates, as it materially strengthens and reinforces the plate, against distortion and enables it to suppot .heavier burdens than would otherwise be possible. It will be evident that, irrespective of the material emf ployed, the formation of the cup holding depression permits the plates to be nested and stacked, this feature being of especial advantage in connection with plates em loyed for picnics and similar gatherings, w ere it is ldesirable to stack large numbers of plates in as small a space as possible.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a plate of conventional circular form, nevertheless it should be understood that the features of the invention are equally well applicable to what might be termed a tray or similar article of manufacture produced in any conventional form. It is accordingly intended that the term plate as employed throughout the s ecication and claim shall define any artic e adapted for supporting :food and liquid.

I claim:

An article of manufacture comprising a plate having a relatively fiat bottom portion of uniform thickness surrounded by a retaining rim, and an annular retaining lip raised from the Hat bottom portion at one side thereof and Within the rim, the annular lip being formed with converging walls to provide a retaining recess of substantial depth for the retention of the base of a liquid receptacle and form on the opposite side an annular recess of suiicientdepth and width to permit introduction of the retaining lip on a second plate and substantial nesting of two or more plates one within another.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE C. GEBELEIN.

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