US1939497A - Tarnish-proof container - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1933. E, HERRmG 1,939,497

TARNISHPROOF CONTAINER Y Filed July 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .4. l I. "'IIIIIIIIIII y w W /W ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 12, 1933. G, HERRmG 7 1,939,497

TARNI SHPROOF CONTAINER Filed July 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

FIG. 4. 7 ,2? 25 If I! 40 iNVENTOR.

E1 em gre E HErPi -E ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in containers for protecting silverware from becoming tarnished.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved type of tarnish-proof case or container for silverware, embodying some of the features set forth in my U. S. Reissue Patent #115,379, and embodying improvements therecver in the provision of means for most eiliciently l0 storing and racking of tableware in a relation where the chemical with which the case is treated may neutralize the sulfide and/or sulphur dioxide content of air, and maintain the surrounding atmosphere in condition which will most emciently prevent tarnish of the contents of the box, notwithstanding the fact that the latter may be opened or closed a number of times for removing or replacing silverware.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a tarnish prevention case for silverware, wherein the silverware may be suitably racked and stacked, in such relation that the bowl and tine portions of spoons and forks may be maintained in most protected relation from contact with outside air, even during opening of the case, than is possiblewith present cases; the inside of the case being treated with a chemical having an aiiinity for sulfides and/or sulphur dioxide.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved silverware case adapted to receive silverware in an improved racked relation, where the same is readily accessible for removal or replacement.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved silverware case having a compact racking arrangement therein for receiving silverware in an orderly relation so that the same may be removed or replaced with facility.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved case, with its closure swung open to expose the interior of the casing, showing the manner in which the silverware is racked.

Flgure2isaplanviewofthebodyofthe container, with the entire top wall, including the closure removed.

l'lguresiiandiaresectionalviewstakensubstantiallyontheirrespectivelinesonrlgureflof the drawings. with the addition of the closure, also shown in section.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a removable tray for receiving knives in a racked relation.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially no on the line 6-6 of Figure 2, and also showing the closure in section.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred. form of the invention, the letter A may generally desigg5 nate the improved silverware receiving case or container, constructed of some inexpensive material, such as wood, composition material, or the like. The container preferably includes a body portion consisting of a rectangular shaped bottom 10, having upstanding front and rear walls 12 and 13 respectively, and side walls 14 and 15. The meeting edges of the walls 10 to 15 inclusive may be suitably dove-tailed, grooved, riveted, or otherwise secured together. The size of the contalner may vary, but in the main it will be adaptable for containing tableware, such as spoons, knives and forks; the dimension from front to rear being greater than the length of a conventional table knife. In vertical depth the size 30 of the container may vary, and in width from side wall to side wall it may also vary, depending upon the number of pieces and the character of articles which it is adapted to receive. All of the side, front and rear walls terminate at their upper ends in the same plane.

In accordance with a feature of the construction, it is preferred to provide a main partition wall, shown at 17 in the drawings, which preferably parallels the side walls 14 and 15, and is closer to the side wall 15 than the side wall 14, dividing the body of the box into a major compartment 18 and a minor compartment 19; the former being adapted to receive racked and stacked forks and spoons, and the latter being adapted to receive table knives. The wall 17 of course extends from the bottom wall, and at the top edge thereof terminates in the same plane as the top edges of the front, rear and side walls 12 to 15 inclusive.

Before describing the closure top construction of the container it is thought best to enlarge 1 further upon the details received within the compartments '18 and 19, since therein the present case or container is a decided improvement over the container set forth in my patent above mentioned.

Within the major compartment there is disposed a rack wall 22, preferably constructed of a single piece of wood or other material, which is in the nature of a partition wall, although provided with a series of racking slots 23 therein,

opening upon the top edge of the wall 22 and terminating near the bottom wall 10, to which the partition rack 22 is secured as at 24, shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The rack wall 22 also extends from the side wall 14 to the partition wall 17; being secured to said walls 14 and 17 by securing elements 25, as shown in Figure 4. The top edge of the wall 22 terminates flush withthe top edges of the front, rear, side and partition walls of the box body above described, as shown in the drawings. This rack wall 22 subdivides the major compartment 18 into a front section and a rear section; the latter being adapted to receive the bowls and tines of spoons and forks respectively which are racked -in the slots 23 in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The slots 23 are sufficiently deep that each slot may receive one or two dozen forks or knives in a stacked relation; the slots 23 in width being sufiiciently narrow that there will be no lateral displacement of the stacked spoons or forks. The slots 23 may vary in width to accommodate the shanks or handles of spoons and forks of various sizes. It is furthermore contemplated that one or more of the slots may be of a width sufliclent to receive flat knives, to hold the latter in stacked relation if found desirable. With the forks, spoons or knives properly racked and stacked on the rack wall 22, it will be noted from Figure 1 that the fore ends of the handles of the articles stacked on the wall 22 are spaced a considerable distance from the front wall 12. This space in the compartment is adapted to receive a carving knife and fork or similar set; a shallow partition strip being secured on the bottom 10, as shown in Figure 3, to keep these articles separated properly between the front wall and said strip.

The minor compartment 19, which is relatively narrow, and extends from the front to rear of the box or container, is adapted to receive knives in a separated and racked relation. To this end, it is preferred that the compartment 19 be provided with a lower fixed racking wall 35, extending cross-wise of the compartment 19, and fixed at its ends in the partition wall 17 and the side wall 15; the said racking wall preferably being disposed midway between the front and rear walls of .the box body. The wall is slightly less than one-half of the depth of the compartment 19, and is suitably slotted at 37 for receiving the blades of six knives, for supporting the latter in separated upright position, which will prevent their contact with each other, and possible marring. Suitable blade and handle supporting strips 38 and 39 are provided at the front and rear of the compartment at opposite sides of the partition rack wall 35, for supporting the blade and handle ends of the knives and to prevent rocking of the latter upon the supporting rack wall 35. In the upper part of the compartment 19 there is adapted to bepositioned a removable tray 40, consisting of a flat base 41 of a nature to rather snugly fit into the compartment 19. Upon the top surface it is provided with a fixed rack wall 42, of the same nature as the lower rack wall 35; the same being provided with slots 45 therein suitable for receiving the blade portions of 'one-half dozen knives, for supporting the latter in upright separating condition. Upon the top surface the base 41 isprovided with balancing strips 47, for receiving the lower edges of the handles and blades of the knives, in order to support the knives in stable position upon the racking wall, as shown at 48 in Figure 5 of the drawings. The tray 40 fits in the upper part of the compartment 19, and thus the compartment 19 is adapted to receive twelve knives, six of which, in the lower part of the compartment below the rack 40, are seldom ever used, inasmuch as the average family uses but six knives, and the upper tray supporting the six knives for ordinary use in an accessible relation upon opening of the container.

It is to be particularly noted that the bottom wall 10 of the container has a lining, preferably of fabric, with an appreciably exposed nap or pile surface. In lieu of fabric, suitable absorbent or other type of lining paper or material may be used, of which an example may be conventional blotting paper. The entire inner surfacing of the walls 10, 12, l3, l4 and 15 is lined with this material, generally designated at throughout the drawings. The racking wall 22 for the main compartment 18 has this lining fabric or material affixed upon the front surface thereof, and over the top edges of the said wall and down along theside edges and at the bottom of each of the slots 23, although the rear surface of the wall 22 need not be supplied with this lining material, if desired, as shown in Figure 3. The racking wall 35 in the lower part of the compartment 19 is suitably covered with this lining, felt, fabric, or other material; the same extending downwardly through the slots and over the bottom of the slots 37. Of course, the partition wall 17 is covered at both sides and at the top .edge thereof with the lining material 60, and the entire compartment 19 is faced with such material. As shown in the drawings the tray 40 has the base 41 covered on the top surface thereof, and also the bottom surface thereof with the fabric or other lining mate- I rial, and the racking wall 42 is provided with the lining material 60 extending over the top edges thereof and downwardly along the sides and across the bottoms of the slots 45, as shown in Figure 5. It is to be particularly noted that the thickness of this lining material 60 extending over the top edges of the racking wall 22, and partition wall 17 is included in the above statement that said walls 17 and 22 have the top edges thereof lying flush with the side, front and rear walls of the bottom body, inasmuch as the said front, side and rear walls of the box body are not provided with the lining material over the top edges thereof.

The top of the box preferably includes a stationary rear section 55, and a cover 56 hingedly connected at 57 to the fore margin of the section 55. The section 55 extends from the side wall 13 to the side wall 14, and along its rear margin it overlaps upon the rear wall 13, and is secured thereto in any approved relation. This section 55 is fixed. The hinges 57 for the top wall 010- sure 56 are spaced from the rear wall of the box body a distance preferably about or slightly less than one-third of the dimension of the box from front to rear. The stationary top portion 55 is preferably provided with depending side and rear flanges 59 overlapping the outer surfaces of the side walls and rear wall of the box body, as shown in Figure 3. v

The closure portion 56, which is made of wood, or of other material, is provided with depending side and front flanges 61. The outer surfaces of the top wall 6 and closure portions 55 and 56 are provided with the felt or other lining material 60, shown in Figure 3, and at the hinge connection 57 the material 80 is provided with a loosely hung doubled portion 62, to compensate for the swinging open of the container closure 56.

The lining material 60, of felt, flannel, paper, or other similar material may be cut in any approved manner to adapt it to the various surfaces within the compartments within the case, and preferably the box body and top wall of the container are lined, and the partition walls and racks are separately assembled and lined and thereafter placed in the box in the fixed relation shown.

The outer surfacing of the walls of the case or container may be suitably decorated, stippled or provided with finishing material or paper, suitable for a box of this character, which is adapted to receive high price silverware.

The lining material 60 within the case or cont ainer is provided with a treated, coated, impregnated, sprayed, or otherwise deposited chemical having an affinity for sulfides and/or sulphur dioxide, and adapted to act as a neutralizer for arresting traces of sulphurated hydrogen or sulphur dioxide which may seek to enter the compartments of the box upon opening of the box or case to remove or replace silverware. The preferred solution used is acetate of lead, preferably in the proportion of four pounds of aceate of lead to one gallon of water, and the pile or nap of the lining material is of such nature that it will receive and hold onto the droplets of the chemical when it is sprayed thereon. Other chemicals which may be used are zinc acetate, carbonate of copper, soluble salts of zinc, or any other chemical which will arrest the formation sulfides on the silverware.

In the improved case or container A, it is notable that the fixed portion 55 of the case or container overhangs the major part of the rear section of the main compartment of the case, wherein the bowls and tines of the spoons and forks of the tableware are received. This virtually encloses the rear section of the compartment of the case, and provides just suillcient clearance between the front edge of the fixed top wall 55 and the rear upper edge of the rack wall 22, to permit the clearing of the compartment when entering or withdrawing the bowls or tines of the tableware racked upon the wall 22. The advantage of this is apparent, since notwithstanding the closure flap 56 is opened, therewill be less liability of the entrance of air laden with sulphur fumes into this part of the container. This is especially important, in view of the fact that bowls and tines of spoons and forks ordinarily tarnish first, and they need greater protection than the handle por tions. In addition, it is quite apparent that the knives which are seldom used, racked on the wall 35, are completely enclosed and encased in the lower portion of the compartment 19, being protected by the chemical coating of the fabric lining therein, and notwithstanding that the closure of the case is open, the half-dozen knives stored compelled to put the proper tableware in theproper slots, which of course is the easiest thing to do. The parts are readily accessible and maintained in an orderly and compact racked and stacked relation; the bowls and tines of the spoons and forks being placed in the location where they are most protected. With such a case there is no opening of various fabric rolls, and guess work as to where the various articles are stored, and the tableware is maintained in a properly stacked relation, and does not loosely fall about, as is the case with most conventional silverware boxes and the like.

In stressing the importance of the box, in addition to the features pointed out in this application and that of my patent above noted, it should be men.ioned that conserving the silverware by the prevention of formation of tarnish upon the same is materially better than that of polishing silverware after it has become tarnished, because in the latter case there is always a resultant waste of silver which is more appreciable than known to the average housewife.

It should be stressed that upon closing of the closure part 13 of the container the inside lining or surfacing of the closure will come to rest snugly upon the top lining or surfacing of the partition wall 1'7 and racking wall 22, for effectively sub-dividing the compartments in the box from each other. It is to be noted in Figure 4 that when the knives are removed from the compartment 19 the tray 40 sinks down, but when the knives are received in the lower and upper parts of the compartment 19, the tray 40 is supported upon the knives racked on the wall 35, as shown in Figure 6.

Various changes in the shape, size,and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a silverware receiving case, a receptacle body having a silverware receiving compartment therein, a top covering a portion of said compartment and normally non-movably affixed with the receptacle, a cover hinged to said top as a means of access to said receptacle body, the cover when shut entirely closing the compartment, means in the compartment for holding of silverware in a racked relation with the portions of the silverware most susceptible of being tarnished removably retained within the part of the compartment below the fixed top, the compartment facing surfaces of the receptacle body being treated with a sulfide neutralizing chemical whereby said fixed top will retard the entrance of air laden with sulphur fumes to said part of the compartment below said fixed top.

2. In a silverware receiving case, a receptacle body having a compartment therein, a top wall fixed with the receptacle and permanently covering a portion of said compartment, a cover movable upon the recep'acle for covering the other portion of the top of the receptacle to close 011 the compartment, lining material facing the compartment having a sulfide neutralizing chemical on the compartment exposed surfaces thereof, and a wall in the compartment in close spaced relation with the free edge of the fixed top wall sub-dividing the compartment into a section entirely below the cover and a seclion mainly below the fixed top wall and partially below the cover, whereby air laden with sulphur fumes will be retarded from entering said second mentioned section in a greater degree than from said first mentioned section.

3. In a tarnish-proof case for receiving silverware and the like, the combination of a box body having a compartment therein, a silverware racking and stacking wall near and paralleling the portion, the said racking wall being formed to receive silverware so that bowls and tines of spoons and forks are in one portion of the compartment and handle portions in the other portion of the compartment, and a top wall for enclosing the compartment including a movable closure extending entirely across that part of the compartment wherein the handles are received and only partially across that part of the compartment wherein the bowls and tines are received, whereby said last mentioned part of the compartment is more completely shut or! from the atmosphere than is the first mentioned part of the compartment when said movable closure is in an open position.

4. In a container of the class described the combination of a main box body defining a compartment therein, a fixed top wall overhanging the compartment within said box body, a tableware rack and stacking wall mounted upright in the box body and paralleling in close spaced relation the fore edge of the fixed top wall, and a closure on the box body for closing off the compartment thereof and movable to have access to the compartment, whereby a restricted opening is provided into that portion of the compartment overhung by said fixed top wall.

5. In a tarnish-proof container the combination of a box body having partition walls therein subdividing the same into a plurality of compartments, closure means for the box body for closing ofi? the same, the surfaces of the box body and closure facing the compartment being treated with a sulfide neutralizing chemical, means in the lower part of one of said compartments for storing articles of silverware in tarnish-protected relation, and a removable tray at the upper part of the last mentioned compartment substantially completely closing oil the lower part of the last mentioned compartment, the said removable tray having means thereon for receiving articles of silverware in a racked relation.

6. In a tarnish-proof container the combination of a box body having partition walls therein subdividing the same into a plurality of compartments, closure means for the box body for closing oil the same, the surfaces of the box body and closure facing the compartment being treated with a sulfide neutralizing chemical, means in the lower part of one of said compartments for stor-' ing articles of silverware, a removable tray at tion of a box body, closure means for the box body, the box body near one end thereof having a partition wallsub-dividing the box body into a major compartment and a minor compartment,

a combined racking andstacking wall and brace extending lengthwise of the major compartment bracing the said partition wall and having slots therein for the stacking and racking of spoons and forks. and racking means in the minor compartment for individual racking of knives.

8. As an, article of manufacture a silverware case comprising a bottom, upstanding side, front and rear walls, a rear fixed top wall overhanging the box body, a closure hinged to the fore margin of the fixed top wall, a partition wall in the box body paralleling one of the side walls in closer relation thereto than the other side wall and subdividing the box body into a minor compartment and a major compartment, means in the lower portion of the minor compartment for receiving knives in a racked relation therein including a lower fixed racking wall, means in the upper portion of the minor compartment consisting of a removable knife racking tray resting upon saidfixed racking wall. and a silverware racking and stacking wall in the major compartment extending in a line from the partition wall to the other side wall farthest spaced therefrom bracing said partition wall, said racking and stacking wall being disposed in closely spaced relation with the fore edge of the fixed part of the top wall so as to permit the close clearance of the bowl and tine portions of spoons and forks as l the latter are racked or unracked and the bowls or tines slipped into or out of the compartment beneath the fixed top wall.

9. In a tarnish-proof container the combination of a box body having partition walls therein sub-dividing the same into a plurality of compartments, closure means for the box body for closing of! the same, means in the lower part of 115 one of said compartments for storing articles of silverware in tarnish-protected relation, and a removable tray at the upper part of the last men- .tioned compartment substantially completely closing oil. the lower part of the last mentioned compartment, the said removable tray having means thereon for receiving articles of silverware in a racked relation.

10. In a tamish-proof container the combination of a box body having partition walls therein sub-dividing the same into a plurality of compartments, closure means for the box body for closing oil the same, means in the lower part of one of said ,compartments for storing articles of silverware and a removable tray at the upper part of the last mentioned compartment acting as a sealing closure to shut oil the part of the compartment therebelow, the said removable tray having means thereon for receiving silverware in a racked relation. 13b

GEORGE E. HERRING.

Images