US2588537A - Smoker's appliance - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1952 v KELLY 2,588,537

SMOKERS APPLIANCE Filed June 20, 1949 v INVENTOR. Hugh T Kelly Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SMOKERS APPLIANCE Hugh Tennant Kelly, Wise'ton, Saskatchewan, Canada Application June 20, 1949, Serial No. 100,177

1 Claim., (Cl. 131-237) This invention relates to smokers appliances such as ash trays and the like.

The provision of more convenient and satisfactory asn disposable receptacles for smokers has been the subject of much effort. Many types of such receptacles have heretofore been proposed but they are usually of expensive and complicated construction and are not entirely satisfactory to users.

An object of this invention is to provide an ash disposable receptacle of sturdy, compact, and inexpensive manufacture, and which includes means for readily collecting and concealing ashes, matches and other smokers refuse. Another object is to provide an ash tray of the type referred to, wherein means are provided for extinguishing cigarettes,'cigars and the like. Another object is to provide an ash tray of this type, which possesses few working parts and wherein all parts are readily replaceable, and. which is conveniently operable to extinguish cigars or cigarettes and to dispose of ashes, stubs and the like.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section and Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

In the drawing, I is a rectangular frame member having preferably an outwardly flared lip portion 2 on its upper edge. An ash receiving receptacle comprising an open, shallow, boxlike member or tray 25 telescopically and frictionally engages the lower edge portion of frame I for convenient removal from and replacement thereon. A plate or platform 3 is fixed to one end portion of frame I intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof. The plate 3 extends from side to side of the frame and terminates longitudinally of the frame on a transverse line approximately at the midsection of the frame. An upwardly extending flange 4 projects from the terminating edge of the plate 3, such flange carrying on its upper edge a plurality of cigar or cigarette receiving dished rests 5, such rests being disposed below the top of the frame I.

A platform 6 is reciprocally mounted in the frame on side bars 1, such platform having its upper surface in sliding engagement with the lower surface of plate 3. The platform 5 has a generally rectangular ash or refuse supporting portion 9 and an end portion II in constant underlapping relation to plate 3. Springs 8 connected to the platform 6 and frame I normally maintain the platform 6 in the position shown in Fig. 1, i. e., with its portion 9 exposed in the end portion of frame I beyond the terminating flange l of plate 3. Means for reciprocating the platform 6 against the action of springs 8 to slide. the portion 9 underneath the plate 3 comprises .an

. upright post I5 mounted on the portion I I of platform 6. Post Ill extends through'a longitudinally extending slot I2 in plate 3 and bears against the inner end of the slot in the normal position of platform 5 as shown in Fig. 1. A button I3 may be mounted on post I0 for ease of manual reciprocation thereof through slot I2.

Means for. extinguishing burning cigars or cigarettes placed on portion 9 comprises a swinging plate or clapper i l pivoted transversely of the frame I on pins I5 at a. point adjacent the end edge of platform 6. ,A cog I6 is fixed to the outer end of one pin l5, such outer end being preferably square, as indicated in Fig. 2, to facilitate mounting of the cog thereon. A rack I8 is reciprocably mounted on the frame with its teeth in engagement with the cog I6. A rod [9 is fixed to the rack bar and has an inwardly extending end portion 20 projecting through a slot 2I in the frame I. A spring 22 mounted on the rod 19 normally holds the portion 20 of the rod in engagement with one end of slot 2I and with a pivotable plate Ill resting on the lip portion 2. A button 23 may be mounted on portion 26 for manual reciprocation of the rod I9 and rack I8 against the action of spring 22. It will be observed that reciprocation of the rod I9 and rack I8 will rotate cog It and swing plate It down into overlying engagement with the portion 9 of the platform 6, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus, burning cigarettes or the like on portion 9 may be extinguished by pressure between plate I4 and portion 9. A button 24 may be provided on the outer face of plate I4 for manual engagement to apply additional pressure to the plate I4, if desired.

In use, ashes and other refuse are deposited on the portion 9 of the platform 6, and the plate I4 is pivoted counterclockwise about pin I5, as seen in Figure 2, to extinguish burning cigarettes and the like. Thereafter the platform 6 is reciprocated and the lower edge of the flange 4 of plate 3 acts as a scraper to remove the refuse on portion 9 and deposit it in the receptable 25, which may be removed for emptying and cleaning as desired. Thus, the portion 9 of the platform 6 may be kept clean and neat in appearance at all times and danger from smouldering refuse is substantially eliminated. Nauseous odors are also substantially avoided and the need for manually extinguishing burning cigarettes and the like is removed. Since the sides of the frame extend substantially above the cigar or cigarette rests 5, danger resulting from falling smouldering butts is removed. Moreover, immediate confinement of ashes and other refuse in the receptacle 25 prevents accidental scattering of such refuse and resultant untidiness.

The device is particularly useful when employed as an ash tray attachment in vehicles such as motor cars. Burning cigarettes may be conveniently tossed into the tray portion 9 and the buttons I3 and 23 actuated to dispose of the same. Thus, the eyes of the vehicle driver need only leave the road for a single glance, and the balance of the operation carried out by a touch of the hands. Accidents resulting from prolonged inattention to driving are thus avoided.

moving parts and that they are easily accessible for replacement when required.

The various parts may be constructed of any suitable materials, such as metal, plastic and the like.

I claim:

A smokers appliance comprising a smokers refuse-receiving tray, a frame removably carried by the tray, a planar platform having a smokers refuse-receiving portion mounted in the frame, adapted to be reciprocated linearly in the plane of said platform, and surmounting the tray in substantially parallel relation thereabove, means for extinguishing cigarettes and for disposing of smokers refuse deposited on said portion of the platform comprising pins rotatably mounted in the frame on an axis disposed parallel to and adjacent one edge of said portion, a plate having one edge fixed to the pins and swingable on rotation of the pins, a spring-pressed member acting upon the plate and urging it away from said portion of the platform, and a manually engageable member connected to the pins for rotating the latter and swinging the plate into overlying relation to said portion of the platform to engage a lit cigarette therebetween, and means for sweeping the extinguished cigarette and smokers refuse from said portion of the platform into said tray comprising a plate fixed in the frame in parallel relation to said platform and having an end portion overlying and contacting the upper surface of said platform, a scraping flange carried by said end portion, and a manually engageable handle fixed to the platform for reciprocating the platform in the frame.

HUGH TENNAN T KELLY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 112,637 Greier Dec. 20, 1938 1,090,264 Adams Mar. 17, 1914 1,177,891 Pacorek Apr. 4, 1916 1,331,872 Plucker Feb. 24, 1920 1,865,902 Grunwald July 5, 1932 2,084,785 Wagner June 22, 1937 2,111,480 Pawlitschek Mar. 15, 1938 2,124,481 Anderson July 19, 1938 2,256,420 Agee Sept. 16, 1941 2,265,409 Verbrugge Dec. 9, 1941

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