US2340618A - Cigarette receptacle - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1, 1944. J. scHlszLER CIGARETTE RECEPTACLE Filed Aug. 5, 1942 NvEN-roR J oseph Schiszler BY ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 1, 1944i UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE RECEPTACIE Joseph Schlszler, New York, N. Y. Application August 3, 1942, Serial No. 453,317

Claims.

This invention relates to receptacles for cigarettes, such as ash trays and the like, and has for its object the provision of an improved device of this character. It is an object of the invention to provide a receptacle for cigarettes in which burning cigarettes may be held and kept in a slow burning state for a short time, or snuifed out, as desired, and without emitting the objectionable smoke of a smoldering cigarette. The smoker may, from time to time. remove his cigarette and continue to smoke it, or let it become extinguished, as desired.

The invention aims to provide a receptacle I having a plurality oi' separate holding means for each cigarette and means for admitting only sulcient oxygen to permit burning at a slow rate. The burning ends are shielded from drafts that would supply sufficient oxygen to promote rapid burning. The cigarette may be snuiIedout automatically in the holding means merely by letting them remain there, and I prefer to provide means for depositing the snuffed-out cigarettes in a bowl in the receptacle.

The invention aims to provide a receptacle having sides forming a bowl for receiving a number of cigarette butts and a removable member,

preferably a cover, having a plurality of holes into which the burning cigarettes are inserted. The holes in the removable member are sumciently larger in diameter than a cigarette that a cigarette may fall freely therethrough without binding. In accordance with my invention, I extend a ledge from the sides and provide means for supporting the cover above the ledge, whereby cigarettes in the holes rest on the ledge and some air is admitted to the burning ends of the cigarettes, sufcient to sustain slow combustion,

and means for raising the cover above the ledge permitting the cigarette butts in the holes to fall through into the bowl. The cover is supported above the ledge a distance sumcient to perrnit a slow infiltration of airA to the burning tobacco, adequate to sustain combustion but not to promote or continue rapid combustion as in the case of a cigarette smoldering in the open atmosphere.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention,

I provide a receptacle which may be circular,

square, hexagonal, or any other suitable shape in horizontal cross-section, with upright sides forming the bowl, a removable cover having a pluralityof holes for receiving cigarettes, means for supporting the cover above the bowl, and a ledge on which cigarettes in the holesrest which is integral with the sides and spaced a short distance below the cover. The ledge is preferably so proportioned and shaped that when the cover is raised the cigarette butts on the ledge fall o into the bowl.

In a more complete receptacle of the invention, I provide a central opening in the cover and means near the opening to rest one or morel cigarettes while they are being smoked, whereby the ashes may fall through the opening into the bowl. l

.These and other novel features of the invention will be better understood after a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the e accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cigarette receptacle embodying the invention, and

Fig.. 2 is a side view along the line 2-2 of F18. 1. f

'Ihe cigarette receptacle illustrated in the drawing comprises sides 1 surrounding a central bowl 2 above which is an annular projecting ledge 3 integral with the sides and a narrower coversupporting means in the form of an extension 4 which is spaced a short distance above the ledge 3. The sides extend a short distance above the extension 4 forming an opening into which the removable member or cover 6 is inserted and supported on the extension 4. This leaves a narrow space 'l between the under surface of the cover and the upper surfaceof the ledge 3. The cover has a plurality of holes 8 arranged near the periphery, each of which is suiliciently larger than the diameter of a cigarette that a cigarette may fall freely therethrough. Each of the holes is directly above the ledge 3 and a cigarette inserted therein will rest upon the ledge. I prefer to provide a central opening 9 in .zontally disposed concave cigarette rests Il.

The ashes from the cigarettes on kthe rests Il are free to fall through the hole into the bowl.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the burning cigarette may be inserted in one of the holes 8 and allowed to slide'into a position of restwitli the burning end resting on the ledge 3. The burning end is more or less surrounded with still air in the space 1. The air within the bowl 2 is effectively protected from drafts and circulation by reason of the cover and confining hole 9. The air or other gases immediately surrounding theburning end of the cigarette are in a quiescent statel which appears to be largely responsible for sustaining slow burning for a short time. while at the same time preventing rapid burning and the resulting emission of any appreciable quantity of smoke from the receptacle. In other words, after a cigarette has been deposited in one of the holes, it becomes dormant for a short time, for example for approximately one minute, and it may during this dormant state be smoked merely by giving it one or two pulls. If the cigarette is not resmoked, in say one minute, it will become completely` snun'ed-out.

With an ash tray constructed along the general lines illustrated in the drawing, approximately ve inches in diameter and two to two and onehalf inches in height, I have found that the space 1, as measured at A,/ should be in the neighborhood of one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch. If the space is even 'ghtly less than one-eighth of an inch, the ci rette will go out almost immediately.

As shown in the drawing, particularly Fig. 2, the ledge 3 slopes downwardly slightly and the inner edge is rounded oi\ When cigarettes are in the holes 8 and the cov is raised upwardly, the cigarettes slide throughthe holes and roll off the ledge 3 into the bowl 2. In this manner, the snuffed-out cigarettes may be deposited in the bowl without handling them.

'I'he improved ash tray of the invention makes it possible for the smoker to deposit his cigarette in a convenient place for a short time without completely extinguishing it and while preventing it from emitting the objectionable smoke which comes from a smoldering cigarette. For example, the smoker may place his cigarette in one of the holes and engage in various activities, such as dealing a hand of bridge, and thereafter iinish smoking his cigarette. If by chance he should forget about the cigarette, or decide not to smoke it further, it will be snuifed-out automatically in approximately one minute. Ordinarily, when a cigarette has been snuiTed-out and relit, the smoke has an objectionable acrid taste. A cigarette may be snuiIed-out in one of the holes of the receptacle of the invention and thereafter relit and smoked as a new cigarette, since the smoke does not have this objectionable acrid taste. 1

I claim:

1. An improved cigarette receptacle which comprises sides for a bowl, a cover-supporting means connected to the sides, an inwardly projecting ledge below the cover-supporting means and above the bottom of the bowl, a cover arranged to rest on the cover-supporting means, thereby leaving a space between the cover and the ledge, a plurality of holes in the cover slightly larger in diameter than a cigarette, said holes being so located that when the cover is in position on the cover-supporting means, the holes are directly above .the ledge and the burning ends of the cigarettes in the holes rest on the ledge, whereby air in the said space is at least partially surrounding the burning ends.

2. An improved cigarette receptacle which comprises sides for a bowl, an inwardly projecting ledge integral with the sides and above the bottom of the bowl, a cover-supporting means above the ledge, a cover having a plurality of upright holes which is constructed and arranged to ilt inside the sides and rest on the coversupporting means, said cover forming a narrow space between the under surface thereof and the upper surface of the ledge, said holes being slight- 1y larger in diameter than a cigarette and so located in the cover that they are directly above the ledge.

3. An improved cigarette receptacle which comprises a bowl having surrounding sides, an inwardly projecting and downwardly sloping ledge attached to the sides, said ledge being an appreciable distance above the bottom of the bowl, a cover for the bowl having a plurality oi` upright holes each slightly larger in diameter than a cigarette, means for supporting the cover over the bowl and spaced from the ledge, said cover forming a space between the under surface of the cover and the upper surface of the ledge about one-quarter of an inch deep, said holes being so located in the cover that when the cover is in position, the holes are directly above the ledge and cigarettes in the holes may rest on the ledge, said space providing a substantially draft-free atmosphere adjacent the burning end of the cigarette, whereby the cigarettes will burn slowly for a short time and then be snuifed-out.

4. A cigarette receptacle according to claim l, wherein the ledge is downwardly and inwardly inclined and the cover is adapted to be raised whereby cigarettes in the holes may fall through the holes and into the bowl.

5. A cigarette receptacle according to claim 2, wherein the cover has a central opening and is adapted to be raised, and the ledge is downwardly and inwardly inclined whereby cigarettes in the holes may slide through the holes and into the bowl when the cover is raised.

` JOSEPH SCHISZLER.

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