US2578134A

US2578134A - Elastomer coin receptacle

Info

Publication number: US2578134A
Application number: US114508A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lester L Headrick
Original assignee: THOMAS L CONNOLLY
Current assignee: THOMAS L CONNOLLY
Priority date: 1949-09-08
Filing date: 1949-09-08
Publication date: 1951-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1968-12-11

Description

De l1, 1951 l.. L. HEADmcK ELASTOMER COIN RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 8, 1949 K .m R WM im Y@ WH. L m DH Y r LA EL J y B period of time.

Patented nec. 11, 1951 ELASTOMER COIN RECEPTACLE Lester L. Hleadrick, Mars, Pa., assignmof onehalf to Thomas L. Connolly, Wilkinsburg, Pa.

Application september s, 1949, serial No. 114,508

z claims. (ci. zoe- 0.84)

This invention relates generally to coin receptacles, and more particularly to a coin receptacle made from an elastomer material and having a suction cup thereon for the purpose of mounting the receptacle on a smooth surface such as the `glass surface of a windshield of an automobile.

A large number of cities and towns are now provided with parking meters along the sidewalks of the thoroughfare, in which meters one may deposit a coin, such as a nickel or penny, to permit the individual to park his car for a certain Frequently one is apt to drive up to a parking meter and find that he doesnt have any change and he is therefore unable to leave his car for fear of getting a ticket for a parking violation. The present invention is an elastomer coin receptacle that may be wetted and stuck on the Windshield in plain sight and having a series of slots for receiving change in coins of different denomination, such as nickels, dimes and pennies. This receptacle being in plain sight, informs the operator of the vehicle that he has or does not have a sufficient amount of money to permit him to park a predetermined length of time and he is apt to maintain the receptacle filled with coins so that it is always handy to provide him with the necessary change for feeding a parking meter.

This coin receptacle is made of a fairly soft elastomer material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, plastic or other similar exible material. It is provided with a suction cup forming a body and having a pair of outwardly projecting jaws spaced apart and provided with a series of spaced parallel ribs forming slots therebetween to receive the coins, such as pennies, nickels and dimes. This receptacle may be placed on the inner face of the windshield of an automobile so that the driver isat all times appraised of the change that he has on hand for the purpose of inserting'in a parking meter. If the receptacle is practically empty it is always there to remind him that it should be replenished in different denominations for use.

Again. the flexible jaws may be employed to hold a pipe or other similar goods and are found to be slightly larger than the spacing between the jaws to permit the latter to grasp and hold the article ready for use.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The drawings show, for the purpose of exempliflcation without limiting the invention or claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

. receptacle comprising this invention is made of an elastomer material, such as rubber, both natural or synthetic, or other flexible resinous material having similar elastic characteristics. This receptacle comprises the annular base I which is preferably made circular in form as shown in Fig. 1 and is dished out on its under side as illustrated at 2. The perimeter of the annular base is provided with a sealing rim 3 for the purpose of holding the suction against a smooth surface such as a polished wood or metal surface or glass. The annular base is provided with an outwardly extending body member 4 which may be of any desired shape and is formed integral with the base. Extending upwardly from the body member 4 are a pair of spaced

flexible arms

5 and 6 which extend parallel to one another forming the gap 'I therebetween. These arms may be rectangular in cross section, as shown, or they may be substantially the full diameter of the annular base I. However, sucn a configuration of the arms is merely a matter of design, enhancing the beauty of the article.

The

arms

5 and 6 and the intermediate portion 8 of the body member 4 are provided with continuous ribs, such as shown at 9, I0, II, I2, I3 and I4, which produce slots I5 to I9, inclusive, therebetween, as shown on the drawings.

The space l between the

parallel arms

5 and 6 is substantially five eighths of an inch thereacross and the slots are approximately three-thirtyseconds of an inch deep and one-sixteenth of an inch wide. Dimensions such as these will cause a nickel or penny to slightly expand the slot when inserted therein and also force the parallel arms 5 and E slightly apart. The depth of the spacing 'l is approximately three-quarters of an inch from the inner-face of the ribs to the outer ends of the arms. Thus, the slots in the

arms

5 and 6 are of a selected size to provide a snug grip on the coin, such as a penny or a nickel. However, a dime fits fairly loosely in such a slot.

In use, this elastomer coin receptacle is wetted and the suction cup is collapsed against a smooth surface, such as the inner surface of a windshield and permitted to remain thereon. The coins may be inserted in the slots between the flexible jaws I and I either before or after the elastomercoin receptacle has been placed on the windshield. This receptacle is at all times in full view of the vehicle operator and he is informed as to when he should replace the coins so that they will be handy forhim in parking the automobile.

The structure as shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, with the exception that the slots I5 to I9 are provided with an abutment 2l at each end thereof as illustrated in Fig. 4. These abutments permit the coin receptacle to hold a smaller coin such as a dime which is ordinarily loose in the slot and can fall out forwardly but for the abutments 2l.

While, for clarity of explanation, certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that this invention is capable of many modifications, and changes in the construction and arrangement may be made therein and certain parts may be employed without conjoint use of other parts and without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. -An integral elastomer coin receptacle to be detachably supported on objects. comprising a body member, means to attach and support the body-member in spaced relation to the object on which it is to be detachably supported to permit flexibility of the body member, a pair of flexible arms extending outwardly from said body in'- parallel spaced relation to each other, the surface of the body member extending arcuately between the inner adjacent surfaces of said arms to form a c radle, a series of parallel ribs each extending continuously from the outer end of one arm and around the arcuate cradle surface of the body member to the puter end of the other arm to form a series of continuous coin receiving slots,

of flexible arms extending outwardly from said.

body in parallel spaced relation to each other, the surface of the body member extending arcuately between the inner adjacent surfaces of said arms to form a cradle, a series of parallel ribs each extending continuously from the outer end of one arm and around the arcuate cradle surface of the body member to the outer end of the other arm to form a series of continuous coin receiving slots, said arms and body flexing when supporting a coin, and an abutment closing the end of each slot to aid in holding the coins in place.

f LESTER L. HEADRICK.

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

UNTTED STATES PATENTS