US2526376A

US2526376A - Towel grip

Info

Publication number: US2526376A
Application number: US781357A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isreal J London
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-10-22
Filing date: 1947-10-22
Publication date: 1950-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1967-10-17

Description

Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs vfi TOWEL GRIP Isreal J. London, Detroit, Mich.

' Application October 22, 1947, Serial No. 781,357

7 Claims. (01. z11 s9 This invention relates to a towel grip and more particularly to a towel holder including locking'means for effectively retaining a portion of a towel within said holder.

Heretofore and particularly in public places such as bowling alleys, for instance, hand towels are available for public use, and due to ineffective or no securing means for the towels, large numbers thereof are stolen over a period of time representing a considerable loss to the proprietor.

It is the principal object of this invention to overcome this difficulty and eliminate such loss by incorporating within the towel holder an effective gripping means which will prevent removal of the towel from its holder, and at the same time leave substantially all of the towel surfaces available for use.

It is the object of this invention to provide a hollow towel holder for receiving an intermediate folded portion of the towel, together with towel gripping means within said holder and associated with the inserted portion of the towel to eifectively retain the same within the towel holder.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a hollow towel holder having a throated opening adapted to receive a folded portion of the towel, such as at its central portion, together with floating means within said holder retainingly associated with the folded portion of said towel and cooperable with said'throated opening for frictionally retaining said towel within said holder upon receipt of an outward thrust upon one of the ends thereof.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a towel grip within the towel holder where the frictional locking effect increases as the outward thrust upon the towel is increased.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the towel grip as mountedv with a portion of the towel shown in dotted lines for clarity.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the same with its hollow cover removed to illustrate its supporting base, as mounted upon any suitable surface.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the towel grip shown in Figure'l.

Figure 4 is an elevational section thereof taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a different form of towel gripping means.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a slight 2 7 variation of the gripping means shown inFigures 1 and 4.

Figure '1 is an elevational view of the socket wrench required for removal of the towel grip cover plate; and

Figure 8 is a left end view thereof.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferable embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set out.

Referring to the drawing Figure 2 the towel grip consists of substantially flat base H-which is attachable to any suitable preferably upright support l2 by a plurality of screws 13 which extend through transvers openings in said base. Said openings are preferably countersunk. at I4 whereby the screw heads do not project above the surface of base H. I

Central boss l5 forming a part of base. ll has a threaded opening IE to receive the cover plate locking bolt I'l Figures 1 and 4.

The upper edge of base II is horizontally flanged at It as shown in Figures 2 and 4 thereby providing a longitudinal slot l9 intermediate base II and the member I2 upon which it, is secured.

The bottom edges 20 of base H converge angularly downward as viewed in Figure 2 for co operative association with the corresponding inner downwardly converging edges 2| of cover 22 as shown in Figures 1 and 4. v .f

Hollow cover 22 has a longitudinally flanged downwardly extending cover supporting member 23 adapted for cooperative nesting within the longitudinal slot I9 formed in the upper edge of base ll.

Said cover similarly has a longitudinal slot 24 formed in its upper interior surface adjacent flange 23 for cooperatively receiving the longitudinal upright flange 18 of base ll, whereby said cover plate is effectively mounted and sup ported upon its base.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 the exterior as well as the interior of cover 22 is shaped similarly to base ll. With cover flang 23 supportingly positioned within longitudinal slot IQ of base ll, the inner surfaces of said cover fit over and are correspondingly aligned with the outer edges of said base. I

As viewed in Figure 4 a central socket wrench receiving recess 25 is formed in the front wall of cover 22, with its inner portion terminating a bolt p ng 26 adapted for registry with t readed o ening is in base n. I

Bolt I1 is inserted within recess 25 with its threaded shank extending through opening 26 for threaded locking engagement with opening [6 in said base, whereby said cover is removably secured thereto.

Referring to Figure 4 cover 22 is formed with a pair of angularly converging interior walls 21 which terminate in the longitudinal slot or throated opening 23 in the front Wall of said cover.

The central fold 29 of a hand towel 30 is projected through longitudinal slot 28 of cover 22 when the same is removed from its base, and the triangularly shaped gripping shaft 3! is positioned against the inner surface of said fold.

Light weight shaft 3! being preferably constructed of wood, is floatingly positioned within hollow cover 22 with the fold portion 29 of the towel holding said shaft forwardly within the hollow converging portions of said cover.

Due to the weight of the towel there is a tendency for the same to constantl maintain gripping shaft 3! forwardly and loosely within the converging portioris 27 of said cover plate.

It will be noted in this connection that portions of the towel are interposed between the converging portions of said cover and said gripping element 3|.

The longitudinal apexes 32 of towel gripping shaft 3! are preferably rounded for cooperation with the inner surfaces of the towel, and one of said longitudinal apeXes is adapted to forwardly project into the longitudinal throated opening 28 at the front of cover 22. At the same time the corresponding converging outer walls of grip element 3! are in substantial parallel alignment with the inwardly convergin walls 21 forming a part of cover plate 22. lhe weight of the towel normally urges gripping shaft 3! into this forward vposition.

In order to facilitate insertion of shaft 3i within the folded portion 29 of the towel its end portions are bevelled at 32'.

Operation It will be seen that an outward thrust upon either of the free ends of towel 33 will cause an Outward movement of one of the apexes 32 of gripping shaft 3! relative to opening 28 for frictional engagement with portions of cover 22 corresponding to longitudinal opening 28, with the towel interposed between said shaft and said cover. At the same time the corresponding angularly converging edges of shaft 3| corresponding to apex 32 are in substantial parallel alignment with and are adapted to frictionally engage inwardly converging surfaces 21 forming part of cover 22.

It will be seen that the grip-ping action of the towel takes place by shaft 3| being wedged into the converging

angular opening

21, 21, with the converging longitudinal edges of shaft 3! frictionally bearing against the walls of said converging opening.

Upon receipt of an outward thrust upon one of the free ends of the towel the longitudinal apex 32 is projected forwardly into opening 28. With the towel interposed between the cover and said shaft it is seen that the greater the outward thrust upon the towel, the greater will be the frictional locking effect to retain the towel within its holder.

It is contemplated that any portion of the towel may be positioned around gripping shaft 31 as said towel grip functions satisfactorily regardless of the relative lengths of the free ends of the towel.

The socket 33 is preferably a conventional inch size having a socket housing 34 and handle 35 joined thereto for rotating the same. However, to prevent unauthorized removal of cover securing bolts ll, the socket housing 34 is reamed slightly reducing its outer diameter. The circular recess 25 in cover 22 is correspondingly reduced in diameter, so that it will not receive the conventional inch socket wrench, which anybody can secure.

The preferable form of gripping shaft Si is shown to be substantially triangular in cross section, however it is contemplated that any other polygonal shape may be employed such as rectangular as shown in Figure 5.

A variation of shaft 31 is shown in Figure 6 wherein a plurality of parallel longitudinal grooves 35 are formed in the outer surface of gripping shaft 3? tending to increase the gripping efiect between the towel and the shaft, as well as the frictional force between said shaft and the converging opening of the housing corresponding to the longitudinal slot 28.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A towel grip comprising a hol ow cover havin; a horizontally slotted portion therein adapted to receive the fo?ded portion of a towel, a gri ping element within said co er intermediate said folded portion and saidslotted portion for fric-v tionally retaining said towel within said cover upon an outward thrust applied to one of the ends thereof, and a stationary base shaped similarly to said cover but of reduced outside dimension,-to which said cover is removably connected substantia ly encosing said bae.

2. A towel grip comprising a ho low cover having a horizontally slotted portion therein adapted to receive the folded portion of a towel. a gripping element within said cover intermediate said folded portion and said slotted portion for frictionally retaining said towel within said cover upon an outward thrust applied to one of the ends thereof, a stationary base upon which said cover is removably supported. and locking means interconnecting said cover and base.

3. A towel grip comprising a stationary base horizontally flanged along its upper edge, a hollow cover positioned over said base and having supporting mean? cooperatively engaging said flange,

' said cover having a longitudinally s otted portion therein adapted to receive the folded portion of a towel, and a gripping element within said cover intermediate said folded portion and said slotted portion for frictionally retaining said towel within said cover u on an outward thrust applied to one of the ends thereof.

4. A towel grip comprising a stationary base horizontally flanged along .its upper edge, a hollow cover positioned over said base and having supporting means cooperatively engaging said flange, said cover having a longitudinally slotted portion therein adapted to receive the folded portion of a towel a gripping element within said cover intermediate saidfolded portion and said slotted portion for frictionally retaining said towel within said cover upon an outward thrust app ied to one of the ends thereof, and locking means interconnecting said cover and base.

5. A towel grip comprising a stationary base horizontally flanged along its upper edge, a hollow cover positioned over said base and having a downwardly extending rearwardly positioned flanged portion cooperatively engaging said base flange, said cover having a horizontally slotted portion therein adapted to, receive the folded portion of a towel, and a gripping element within said cover intermediate said folded portion and said slotted portion for frictionally retaining said towel within said cover upon an outward thrust applied to one of the ends thereof.

6. A towel grip comprising a hollow cover having a horizontally slotted portion therein adapted to receive the folded portion of a towel, a gripping element Within said cover intermediate said folded portion and said slotted portion for frictionally retaining said towel within said cover upon an outward thrust applied to one of the ends thereof, a stationary base upon which said cover is removably supported, said cover having a countersunk opening therein, and a bolt extending through said opening and threadably engaging said base.

7. A towel grip comprising a stationary base horizontally flanged forwardly of its upper edge defining a longitudinal slot, a hollow cover positioned over said base and having at its rear a downwardly extending longitudinal flange supportingly positioned within said longitudinal slot, said cover having a longitudinally slotted portion therein adapted to receive the folded portion of a towel, a gripping element loosely positioned within said cover intermediate said folded portion and said slotted portion for frictionally retaining said towel within said cover upon an outward thrust applied to one of the ends thereof, and locking means extending through said cover and into said base for removably securing said cover thereon.

ISREAL J. LONDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,248,732 Shave Dec. 4, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,533 Denmark July 7, 1913