US2574638A

US2574638A - Coaster

Info

Publication number: US2574638A
Application number: US162621A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alan D Gilbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-18
Filing date: 1950-05-18
Publication date: 1951-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-11-13

Description

Nov. 13, 1951 D] ILBERT 2,574,638

COASTER Filed May 18, 1950 Fig.

Alan 0. Gilbert INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COASTER. Alan D. Gilbert, Cambridge, Ohio Application May 18, 1950, Serial No. 162,621

3 Claims.

Thi invention relates to new and useful improvementsand structural refinements in coasters for glasses, or the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a coaster of the character herein described which includes meansifor. separably attaching itself to a glass soithat'it may be lifted .bodily therewith while drinking...

An important feature of the invention, therefore, resides in the provision of novel attaching means, these means being so arranged that they may be quickly and easily collapsed or folded into the body of the coaster when the latter is not in use.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efiicient and dependable operation, in its pleasing appearance, in its durability, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the other more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention applied to a drinking glass.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2-in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top planview of the invention per se in its folded position.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5--5 in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of a finger such as may be used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a coaster which is designated generally by the reference character l0 and embodies in its construction a cupshaped base l2 having an arcuate side wall M which has the upper portion thereof extended inwardly so as to provide an inturned flange l6, substantially as shown.

The base I2 is adapted to receive on the bottom thereof a drinking glass l8 and the essence of novelty in the invention resides in the provision of means for frictionally retaining the drinking glass in position so that the coaster may be lifted bodily therewith.

These means simply consist of pairs of sockets 20 which are suitably'secured to the inner surface of the side wall l4 below the flange I6, each socket simply assuming the form of an arcuate strap provided with upturned and downturned hooks 22; 24 at the respective lower and upper ends thereof.

The sockets in each pair are spaced apart so as to receive therebetween the lower or inner end portion of a resilient finger 26 which is provided with a pair of laterally projecting trunnions 30 to engage the sockets as will be hereinafter described. When the invention is in use the fingers 26 project upwardly from the base [4 and when a glass I8 is applied to the base, the trunnions 36 of the fingers 26 are seated in the upturned hooks 22 of the sockets 26 while intermediate portions of the fingers abut the inner edge of the flange l6 as at 34 (see Figure 2) and the upper end portions of the resilient fingers frictionally engage the glass so as to firmly yet removably retain the same in position in the coaster. If desired, suitable pads 36 of rubber or some similar material may be provided on the inner surfaces of the upper end portions of the fingers 26 to assist in frictionally engaging the glass.

In addition to its primary purpose of providing abutment for the fingers 26, the flange l6 also performs a secondary function, namely, that of safeguarding against any possible spilling of liquid out of the coaster in the event the latter is not sustained in a horizontal position.

The fingers 26 are of such length that when the glass I8 is removed from the coaster, the trunnions 36 of the fingers may be shifted upwardly in the sockets 20 to engage the downturned hooks 24, whereupon the several fingers may be collapsed or folded, one upon another, within the interior of the base M, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

If desired, a modified form of fingers may be used, such as for example is illustrated in the accompanying Figure 6 and is designated by the reference character 46, the glass engaging portion of which is fashioned to form an initial 42, substantially as shown. Moreover, upper end portions of the

fingers

26 or 42 may be arcuated to conform to the circumference of the glass, and needless to say, friction increasing means may be provided on the fingers 42, as illustrated at 36 on the fingers 26.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a coaster for glasses, or the like, the combination of a cup-shaped base having an arcuate side wall provided at the top thereof with an inturned flange, pairs of spaced sockets secured to the inner surface of said side wall below said flange and each comprising an arcuate strap provided with upturned and downturned hooks at the respective lower and upper ends thereof, and a set of resilient fingers extending upwardly from said base and provided at their lower ends with pairs of laterally projecting trunnions engaging the respective pairs of sockets, intermediate portions of said fingers being adapted to abut said flange when said trunnions engage the upturned hooks of the sockets whereby upper end portions of the fingers may frictionally engage a glass positioned on said base.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with friction increasing means provided on inner surfaces of the upper end portions of said fingers.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said trunnions are engageable with the downturned hooks of said sockets, when said fingers are swung to a folded position in said base.

ALAN D. GILBERT.

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

STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 264,163 Hurlbut Sept. 12, 1882 551,547 Howard Dec. 17, 1895 807,548 Ganswindt Dec. 19, 1905 1,234,877 Coppedge July 31, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 14,517 Great Britain Aug. 14, 1900 102,182 Great Britain Nov. 23, 1916 315,597 Great Britain July 18, 1929