US1847277A - Shround attachment for containers - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1932. H. STEPHENS 1,847,277

SHROUD ATTACHMENT FOR CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 26, 1929 Patented Mar. 1, 1932 team? UNEED STATES. PATEN OFFICE HERBERT STEPHENS, OF ARLINGTON, ltIASSACI-IUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE MOXIE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS SHROUD ATTACHMENT FOR CONTAINERS Application filed November 26, 1929. Serial No. 409,975.

This invention relates to attachments for bottles and other containers and it has for its object to provide a shroud attachment for bottles or like containers such as are used for holding a syrup, extract, or other liquid used as a base in preparing beverages.

At the present time it is common practice with manufacturers of syrups, extracts, and the like, from which beverages are made, to

ship the same in bulk in rather large glass jugs or bottles and it is also common practice at the present time to equip soda water fountains and other soft drink dispensing establishments, with a dispensing apparatus including a bowl within the upper end of which one of the bottles or jugs just referred to is seated in an inverted position so as to maintain a supply of syrup or the like within the bowl, the latter being provided at its lower end with a faucet by means of which a quantity of the syrup or the like can be delivered from the bowl into a glass to be mixed with soda water and dispensed to a customer.

Usually the glass bottles or jugs referred to become soiled and dirty during the operation of filling; through handling, or otherwise, so as to present an unattractive appearance when incorporated in the dispensing apparatus referred to. The jug or bottle of a dispensing apparatus of the kind referred to is the most prominent feature thereof and usually it is, itself, plain and unattractive. Also, a dispensing apparatus of the kind referred to usually occupies a prominent position upon the counter directly in front of customers and for the reasons just pointed out has heretofore presented an unattractive, and sometimes soiled, insanitary, appearance.

My invention provides an inexpensive and attractive shroud or jacket attachment for covering containers of the kind referred to, 45 and it consists of a tubular shroud, preferably made from stifl sheet material, that is adapted to be telescopically fitted upon the i exterior of the container so as to inclose the same and hide it from View, thereby to improve the appearance of the apparatus in which the container is incorporated, means being preferably provided on said shroud for supporting the latterin its operative position with respect to the container.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of a dispensing apparatus including a container provided with a shroud attachment constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates the construction of the opposite ends of the strip of sheet material constituting the major portion of my new shroud attachment.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of the inner side of the attachment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of a portion of a shroud attachment illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a bottle or container having applied thereto a shroud attachment embodying another form of my invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the bottle and shroud shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is afragmentary elevation illustrating a modification.

At soda water counters and other places where soft drinks are dispensed it is customary to provide a counter dispensing apparatus including a base 1 supporting a bowl 2 within the top of which is seated a glass bottle or the like 3 holding a main supply of syrup, extract or the like, from which beverages are prepared. Also, it is old to pro- ETI vide the chime of the bowl 2 with a rubber ring 4; on which the bottle 3 is seated in an inverted position so that its neck or spout 5 extends downwardly into the bowl 2 which latter serves as an auxiliary reservoir from which measured quantities of the syrup or ex tract are withdrawn through a faucet 6 into glasses or tumblers within which the beverage is prepared.

The bottle 3 is the container within which the syrup, extract or the like is shipped to the dispenser and as soon as the contents of the bottle 3 are exhausted, said bottle is removed and a filled one substituted therefor.

Usually the frequent handling of the bottle 3 from the time it leaves the manufacturer of the syrup, extract or the like, until it is incorporated in the counter dispensing apparatus, results in its becoming soiled and unsightly. Furthermore, even when the bottle 3 is clean, it is not a particularly attractive feature of the'apparatus.

Because of these facts I have provided a shroud 7 consisting of a substantially rectangular strip of stiff but bendable sheet material such as cardboard, said strip being formed adjacent one end with slits 8, one near each edge thereof, and at its opposite 'end with hook-tangs 9. It will be clear that by inserting the hook-tangs 9 in the slits 8 as shown in Fig. 5, the opposite ends of the shroud strip 7 may be securely fastened together so as toform said shroud strip into a tubular structure which can be fitted telescopically on to the bottle 3 as shown in Fig. 1. I

The top edge portion of the shroud strip 7 is made, midway of the length of the latter, with a small upwardly projecting extension 10, Figs. 1 and 4, to the inner side of which is fastened in any suitable manner a bracket 11 of cardboard or other suitable stiff but bendable material. As shown, this bracket is secured in place by eyelets 12. The opposite side portions of bracket 11 provide flat wings or tangs that are bent inwardly to rest edgewise upon the upper end of the bottle 3, thereby to hold the tubular shroud 7 in position on said bottle.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have illustrated another form of'the invention wherein the top marginal portion of the shroud strip 7a is slitted to provide the same with tangs 11a which are bent inwardly as shown in Fig. 6, so as to rest upon the top end of the bottle thereby to support the shroud 7a in position upon the latter.

WVhen the contents of the bottle 3 are about exhausted, it is removed and a full one substituted, and in order that the dispenser of the beverage may be able to see the level of the liquid within the bottle 3 when the same is nearly exhausted, I may provide sight holes 13, 5, upon the rear side of the shroud 71), near the bottom thereof through near/yaw which the level of the liquid within the bottle may be observed when the contents are nearly exhausted.

The outside of the shroud strip 7 is made ornamental by printing or lithographing and therefore the dispensin apparatus as a whole presents a highly attractive appearance, the bottle 3 being completely hidden from view with the except-ion, perhaps, of the upper end thereof.

instead of the hook-tangs- 9 and slits 8 above referred to, I may provide one or more elastic bands 14, Fig. 8, each of whch is permanently connected at 15 'with one end of the shroud strip and provides a loop 16 adapted to separably engagea tang 17'provided at the opposite end of said shroud strip. These elastic rubber bands 14 serve as spring links connecting the opposite ends of the shroud strip thereby assisting the flat tangs or wings of bracket 11 in holding the shroud in position upon the bottle. In this form of my invention the shroud strip may be made of such length that when in position upon the bottle a vertical slot 18 is'provided between the adjacent ends of said shroud strip through which the level of the liquid within the bottle 3 may be observed.

It is a fact, of course, that when my new shroud is in use it occupies a position upon a bottle or container that is supported in an upsidedown position yet the shroud itself occupies a right-side-up position so that whatever printed matter or design may be provided upon the exterior thereof will be properly presented to view.

What I claim is:

1. A shroud of the character described consis-ting of a tubular structure of sheet material adapted to loosely surround the body only of an upright inverted bottle or the like and having a flat inwardly folded vertically disposed wing adjacent its upper end to rest edgewise upon the upper end of the bottle or the like thereby to removably 1 support said structure in position thereon.

2. A shroud of the character described consisting of a tubular structure adapted to loosely surround the body only of an upri ht inverted bottle or the like; a flat inwardly extending vertically disposed wing adjacent the upper end of said tubular structure adapted to rest edgewise upon the upper end of the bottle or the like thereby to removably supportsaid structure in position thereon,

said tubular structure consisting of a strip of stiif sheet material and means being provided for separably fastening the opposite ends of said strip together to fix it in tubular form.

3. A shroud of the character described consisting of a strip of stiff sheet material bendable into the form of a tube adapted to surround the body only of an upright inverted bottle or the like, means for fasteningthe opposite ends of said strip together to fix it in tubular form, and a plurality of inwardly folded spaced apart flat Wings of stifl" sheet material adjacent the top of said strip, said fiat Wings being vertically disposed and having edgewise abutting engagement with the upper end of said bottle or the like thereby to support the shroud in position on the latter.

Signed by me at Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, this 20th day of November,

HERBERT STEPHENS.

Images