US2179844A - Package and article carrier - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1939. s, ERLANGER r 2.179.844

PACKAGE AND ARTICLE CARRIER Filed Dec. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. SANFORD ERLANGER BY DAVID E. ANDERSON ATTORNEY.

w. M, 1939. s. ERLANGER El AL 2.179.844

PACKAGE AND ARTICLE CARRIER Filed Dec. 13, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll 1 IF 38 INVENTOR. SANFORD ERLANGER BY DAVID E. ANDERSON ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Sanford Erlanger and David E. Anderson,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 13, 1937, Serial No. 179,482

4 Claims.

This invention relates to trays, and particularly contemplates means for pivotally supporting such devices on most any upright or horizontal standard as, for example, a shelf, bench or cabinet top a or the legs or top of a table, counter, or the like to facilitate accessibility of the tray for the storage of miscellaneous articles.

In many public eating houses efforts to obtain maximum utilization of the table area for food, and floor space adjacent the tables for seating facilities, have resulted in such crowding of patrons so as to make extremely awkward the disposition of packages, purses, and other articles while eating. Tables and counters are usually made only large enough to accommodate the food ordered. The placement of packages and other personalities on the floor beside the patron is awkward and unsanitary, as well as being dangerous to their safe keeping. Other places of 20 lodgement of packages such as shelves, often built adjacent the walls of such eating establishments, are easily accessible to any dishonest person, and are impossible of disposition so as to be visible by more than but a few of the patrons 25 for whose convenience they are provided.

It is a principal object of the present invention to obviate the deficiencies of the prior art accountable for the above-noted inconveniences by the provision of a table having a plurality of stor- 30 age receptacles suspended from the underside of its top but offset with respect to each place at which a person is to be seated, whereby the opening of each receptacle may be most conveniently controlled by the respective persons seated adjacent thereto.

Another object is to provide a tray or container pivotally mounted to the underside of the table top, counter or the like, or to a vertical support therefor for the disposition of personal articles, which device may be swung under the horizontal part of the supporting structure whereby the latter will furnish a cover for the tray and prevent unauthorized removal of the articles.

Another object is to provide a bracket having a swinging pivot on which a tray may be mounted to facilitate manipulation of the tray and render the same more easily accessible to a particular user, said bracket adapted to have incorporated in particular embodiments thereof a second lower tray movable with respect to the one thereabove.

Other objects and salient features of our invention such, for example, as ease of operation, economy of the construction, durability, and simplicity of installation, will be obvious to those of skill in the art to which our invention appertains from an examination of the following description read in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of our invention as operatively associated with a table;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention showing a modified form of pivotal supporting means;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of modified forms or brackets for support of the tray to the underside of the table top or the like;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another form of bracket for the support of a tray on a vertical standard.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numerals of which indicate similar parts throughout the several views, 5 designates a top of a table (Fig. 1) having legs 6. It will be understood that our invention is adapted for use in other than this type of table and that it may also be employed in counters, shelves, cabinets, or with any member under which it is desired to provide a receptacle.

A tray '5 (Fig. 1) is pivotally carried on the upper pin 8 of an upright crank-shaped hinge post 9 pivoted to the leg 6 of a table as about to be described. A second tray I0 is similarly carried on the lower pin I l of post 9. The upper and lower pins of the post are vertically arranged and connected by integral horizontal portion l2. A pair of hook eyes l3 are threaded into the corner of the table leg 6 through which the lower pin ll of the post extends, thus enabling the upper pin 8 of the post to swing in a horizontal are on the axis of the lower pin of the post.

The pivotal connection of tray 1 on the upper pin is effected by means of a supporting frame I i comprising a length of wire turned around the upper end of the post to form a retaining hook it. From opposite sides of the post, the wire extends through a slot ll cut in the rim l8 of the tray 1, thence under and divergingly across the bottom of the tray and to the opposite side thereof. The ends of the wire I5 extend upwardly to engage the side of the tray opposite to that in which slot H is formed and are turned over the rim l8 thereof to clamp the tray on the frame. A brace it connects the diverging reaches of the wire l5 at the bottom of the tray. To the middle of brace IS a lower hinge wire is connected, having one end turned around the lower end of pin 8 to form a loop 2|. The lower tray I0 is supported on the lower pin ll of post 9 by a modified form of wire frame. In this embodiment of the frame, an endless wire 22 is mounted on the post in a manner similar to that of wire I but its ends are secured together under the tray. Lugs 23 cut from the bottom of the tray engage the diverging portions 24 of wire 22 under the tray to coact with the engagement of the wire in slot if in holding the frame and tray together and pivotally on the post. In this embodiment, brace I9 reinforces the wires 2'2 and 26 at points at the side of the tray nearest adjacent the hinge post. It will be observed that due to the location of the hook eyes 63 in the corner of the table leg 6, that both trays are free to swing to positions with the side of the tray, nearest adjacent the leg, parallel to either of two sides of the leg, and further that the upper tray is capable of movement laterally in any direction.

In Fig. 2 the tray 1 is identical with the upper tray of Fig. 1. The wire frame M is reinforced by a brace l9 under the tray in the same manner as are the wires id and 2&3 supporting tray i. The tray is pivotally connected to the table leg or other vertical support by the engagement of the hook I5 and loop 25 of wires l5 and 20, respectively, with hook eyes 25 screwed into the corner of the table leg or other upright 26.

Referring to Fig. 3: The tray 'i may be mounted on a horizontal member as a shelf 21 by placing a hinge bolt 28 through a hole bored in the shelf, .so as to provide a downwardly extending shank 29 thereof below the shelf. The head of the bolt is preferably countersunk in the upper-surface of the shelf 2? as at 38. The hook l5 and loop 2! of the frame wires 29 and 22 supporting the tray are mounted on shank 29 and supported vertically by means of a nut 3i threaded on the lower end of the bolt 23. Where the horizontal member to which it is desired to pivotally attach a tray is too thick or it is desirable to avoid marring the surface thereof (Fig. 4), an angular hinge bolt 32 may be supported by engagement of a horizontal portion 33 thereof in hook eyes 34 screwed into the underside of the horizontal member 35 so as to provide a vertical portion 36 thereof, on which the supporting frame and tray is carried, as above indicated in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 3. To prevent the angular bolt from swinging in a vertical arc in the hook eyes 34 with a consequent tilting of the tray 1, the end 37 of the horizontal portion 33 is turned upwardly to engage in a hole in the member 35 fromwhich the device is suspended.

A single pivotal tray support is provided with a swinging pivot in the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 comprising a hinge post 38 having axially aligned offset trunnions 39 pivotally held by hook eyes ll] in the corner of the table leg 6 or other upright. A tray frame It is pivoted on the post in the manner above-described.

It will be observed that we have provided a receptacle adapted for attachment to the underside of counters, tables, shelves, benches, and the like, i. e., for location in what is usually waste space, yet enabling movement thereof to a position for easy access to its interior for placement and removal of articles; and referring to specific embodiments, it will be noted that the upper tray in Fig. l and the tray of Fig. 5, due to the double pivot of their supporting structure, are

movable in any horizontal direction to facilitate manipulation in use.

While we have described but a few of the many possible embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that numerous changes in size, shape, proportion and number of the various parts may be made; that other well known expedients for pivotally supporting the tray may be employed, and that any basket, receptacle or support may be sustituted for the tray illustrated and described, all without departing from the spirit of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a tray comprising a flat member having a rim at the edge thereof, a hinge post, means to mount said hinge post in a vertical position, a wire turned around the upper end of said post and extending through an opening in said rim, the reach of said wire extending under said member, and a portion of said wire being secured to the opposite side of said tray from said opening.

2. In a device of the character described, a tray comprising a fiat member having a rim at the edge thereof, a hinge post, means to mount said hinge post in a vertical position, a wire turned around the upper end of said post and extending through an opening in said rim, a reach of said wire extending under said member, the opposite ends of said wire terminating in a hook engaging the rim of the tray at the opposite side thereof from said opening.

3. In a device of the character described, a tray comprising a flat member having a rim at the edge thereof, a hinge post, means to mount said hinge post in a vertical position, a wire turned around the upper end of said post and extending through an opening in said rim, a reach of said wire extending under said member, the opposite ends of said wire terminating in a hook engaging the rim of the tray at the opposite side thereof from said opening, a second wire connected to said first-named wire adjacent the opposite side of said tray from said opening, said second wire extending under said tray and turned around the lower end of said post.

4. In a device of the character described, a vertical hinge post, a receptacle, a frame comprising a wire having its ends terminating in hooks engaging one edge of said receptacle and extending from said hooks downwardly to the adjacent lower edge of said receptacle, straight reaches of said wire adjoining said ends extending under said receptacle parallel to the bottom of the receptacle and converging toward the opposite edge of said receptacle, reaches of said ire adjoining said last-named reaches extending upwardly through an opening in the edge of said receptacle and turned around the upper end of said hinge post, and a second wire turned around the lower end of said hinge post having its opposite end secured to said first wire under said receptacle adjacent the ends of said first wire.

SANFORD ERLANGER.

DAVID E. ANDERSON.

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