US2217833A - Ice-retaining insert for glasses - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1940. HAPMA 2,217,833

ICE-RETAINING INSERT FOR GLASSES Filed April 18, 1939 ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 15, 1940 ICE-RETAINING INSERT FOR GLASSES Frederick Burnham Chapman, Greenwich, Conn.

- Application April 18, 1939, .SeriaI'No. 268,509

2 Claims. 7 ((1210-1635) The present invention relates to inserts or guards for glasses and, more particularly, to an ice-retaining guard adapted to be inserted into drinking glasses for retaining ice, fruit, and similar additions.-

'As those skilled'in the art know, heretofore difficulty was caused byice,-fruit, and the like added to mixed drinks, cocktails and similar drinks, for cooling and flavoring the same. This 0 difficulty was particularly accentuated when ice cubes of small size or crushed ice was used, as the particles of ice would get' into the mouth and would cause=inconvenience and annoyance. It was already s'uggestedjto insert guards or strainers into drinking-glasses. Theseconventional guards or strainers were generally constituted of a flat plate of foraminous character which was combined with some resilient member, such-as a coiled spring, capable of conforming to the inner walls of the drinking glass and of retaining the guard or strainer therein. These conventional guards had the disadvantage of being relatively expensivej cumbersome, and difiicult t clean. It was also suggested" to provide a guard constituted of a split ringformed of a crimped or corrugated strip of resilient sheet material. This ring was of such size that, by compressing or squeezing it together, it could be readily placed within a glassor the like, and when released would expand into close contact with the inner surface thereof. This type of guard had the disadvantage that it was insecurely retained within the glass unless the glass was of a special character and was provided with an annular enlargement within which the guard could securely rest. Although various other suggestions and proposals were made to solve the outstanding problem and to provide the art with a simple and satisfactory guard or insert for retaining icein drinking glasses, none, as far as I am aware, of these prior suggestions and proposals was completely satisfactory or successful in practical operation.

I have discovered an extremely simple and completely satisfactory solution of the outstanding problem.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a guard or insert for drinking glasses which eliminates the disadvantages and inconveniences of prior devices.

It is another object of the invention to provide aninsertfor drinking glasses which is securely retainedwithin the glass regardless of the- 5 type or shape of such glass.

I can readily adapt itself to glasses of various di 1. videa guard or insert for glasses having glassengaging elements associatedtherewith whereby it can engage the top edge portions of the'glass. The invention also contemplates a guard 'or 1 insert for glasses constituted of a coiled spring of annular form associated with retaining ele-- ments which is simple in construction,easy' to clean and which may be manufactured and sold at a very lowp-rice. Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent fromthe followin description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which- 1 Fig." .1 illustrates .a perspective view ofxthe guard embodying the principles of the invention, 1 5 in its'operative position within a drinking glass; I '.Fig. 2 depicts a fragmentary view, having parts in section, showing a portion of theguard and indicating the 'way it is mounted on the edge of a glass/ Broadly stated, according to the principles of I the invention, I provide a guard or insert in the form of a coiled spring constituted of a suitable material having strength and resiliency and capable of resisting the corrosive "influence of liquids. It is essential that the material of the spring should be of such character as to avoid imparting an unpleasant or metallic tastelto: the. drinks. I have found that stainless steel, nickel, Monel metal, and similar metals provide good results; I prefer-to arrange this coiled spring in an'annular form and to give such dimensions thereto that it will readily conform with some pressure to'the inner walls of the glass within which itis to be inserted. Of course, due' to the yielding and resilient character of the springit' mensions and shape. I also provide suitable re taining elements in combination with the coiled spring, said retaining elements preferably being in the form of a'clamp or hook which can engage the top edge of the glass. In order to avoid scratching or chipping of thin glasses and to assure positive retaining of the clamping member, it is advisableto provide a' suitable cushioning layer, such as a coating of rubber, on such member. This rubber coating may be provided in various ways, in the simplest case a rubber tube of appropriate dimensions being pulled over the hook, or clamping member. In some cases, it is of advantage to provide some means of identification on the inserts, such as a symbol, a distinctive color, and the like, applied to some portion of the guard whereby a number of different guards may be readily distinguished from 5 each other. This has the advantage that the guard may serve as a means of identification for the purpose of telling the glass used by one person on a certain occasion from those used by other persons.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Essentially, a coiled spring I is provided, bent to an annular form and having its two ends connected to each other. A plurality of retaining .elements in the form of clamps or hooks 2 are provided, in the present case three,

having their lower ends attached to the spring by folding around it, soldering, spot welding, or by" a similar operation. The outer portion "of clamp 2 is of a hook-shaped character adapted to he slipped over the edge of glass 3 and having sufficient resiliency for pressing against the walls thereof. As it will be best observed from Fig. 2,.

a small piece of rubber tube 4 is slipped over the glass-engaging portion :of clamps 2 to provide ara'soft and yielding surface therefor. The application of this tube has the advantage that damaging -or chipping of the glass is prevented and at the same time the increased friction provided thereby will securely retain the coiled spring within the glass. :.=i From the preceding description, the operation of nu! novel insert or guard will be readily under- -st'ood by those skilled in the art. Generally speaking, the guardis inserted either before or preferably after. the drink has been poured into the glass and ice cubes, fruit, such as cherries, olives, and similar cooling and flavoring agents, have been added. Insertion of the guard is effected simplybyinserting coiled spring I within the glass and slipping retaining elements, or hooks 2 over the edge of the glass. Hereafter, the friction and the pressure of the retaining elements or clamps against the walls of the glass will securely retain the guard within the glass so that accidental displacements thereof are positively prevented. Thisresult is-"further improved by the resiliency of the coiled spring itself which will press against the inner walls ;of the glass. Althoughmy. insert or guard extends only'to a portion of the. inner width of the glass, this is sukflicient to retain ice cubes 5, fruit 6, and similar additions from reaching the mouth of the drinker'fandat the same time provides a rela-' tively large open portion in the center of-the drinking glass for the subsequent addition of ice cubes, and the like. After the drink has been consumed, the guard can be readily removed from the glass and may be cleaned. In view of the extremely simple construction of my insert, it

can be very easily cleaned, simple rinsing with water being sufficient in most cases. The insert embodying the invention has the additional advantage that the intermediate portion of a spoon or of a straw may be inserted between two adjoining windings of the helical spring whereby they are secured against accidental displacements in the tilted position of the glass. This advantage is of especial value in soda fountain practice. a

. Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, variations and modifications may be'resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the present invention. I consider all of these variations and modifications as within the true spirit and scope of thepresent invention as disclosed in the foregoing description and defined by the appended claims.

*Iclaim: V

1; a new article of. manufacture, an :iceretaining insert for drinking glasses comprising in combination a helically wound spring forming a resilient member of circular shape adapted to be inserted into. a drinking'glass and to resiliently conform to the inner Walls thereof, and a plurality of hooks secured to said spring and adapted to be slipped over the-top edge of a drinking glass to hold said resilient member within said glass, said resilient member being of such dimensions a's'to securely retain ice from the edge of said glass in the tilted position of said glass and leaving an opening in thecenter portion of said glass sufficient for'the introduction of ice, fruit, and

the like. l

2. As a new article of manufacture, an iceretaining insert ior drinking glasses, comprising in combination a helically Wound spring'constituted of a corrosion resistant wire having its ends connected to eachother to form a resilient member of circular shape adapted to be inserted into a drinking glassand to resiliently conform to the inner walls thereof, a plurality of hooks secured to said spring and adapted to be slipped over the top edge of a drinking glass to hold said resilient member within said glass, and a rubber tube on each of said hooks for increasing friction between said hook andsaid glass and to prevent chipping of said glass, said'resilient member being of such dimensions as to securely retain ice ,from the edge of said glass in the tilted position of said glass and leaving an opening in the center portion of said glass sufiicient for the introduction of ice, fruit and the like.

- FREDERICK BURNHAM CHAPMAN.

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