US2623633A

US2623633A - Picnic coaster and holder therefor

Info

Publication number: US2623633A
Application number: US195339A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto A Bladow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-11-13
Filing date: 1950-11-13
Publication date: 1952-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-30

Description

D 30, 1952 o. A. BLADOW 2,623,633

PICNIC COASTER AND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed Nov. 13, 1950 III 'unma,

Fig.3

Fig.2

01/0 A. B/adow INVENTOR.

Mar/5a.. BY %WEMLWS Patented Dec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,623,633 PI QNI C COASTER AND HOLDER THEREFOR Otto A. Bladow, Hankinson, N. Dak. ApplicationNovemher 13, 1950, Serial No. 195,339

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in coasters such as are used for supporting drinking glasses and the like and has reference, in particular, to a so-called picnic kit which latter comprises a plurality of especially constructed coasters and a compact and convenient assembling and carrying conta'iner therefor.

A general object of the invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon known styles and forms of coasters which lend themselves. especially useful for out-of-d-oors service and, in addition, to so construct the coasters thatthey may be stacked in a compact and convenient manner in a simple storing and carrying case or container.

Another somewhat general objective is to provide a simple, economical and practical picnic kit in which manufacturers and users will find their essential needs fully met, contained and effectually available.

More specifically, novelty is predicated on a shallow. pan-like coaster of lightweight but durablestock which is provided on its bottom with a rigid anchoring prong or stake and which in addition has a plurality of holes serving as drainage openings and, in addition serving to facilitate t te of tac ii and ne e c plete set of coasters in a can-like container.

Briefly summarized the invention has to do with a container and a plurality of pan-shaped coasters stacked in said container, each coaster "having an anchoring pron-g rigidly attached to and extending at right angles from its bottom,

each coaster having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes in its bottom, the holes in the respective coasters being registered with each other, and certain of the prong-s passing through selected holes in other coasters, whereby to permit a. series of coasters to be packed in a small container despite the obstructions presented by the presence of the prongs on the coasters.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawmgs.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a perspective View of a picnic type coaster constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the open top container, its lid and the stack of coasters;

Figure 3 is a View in section and elevation with the coasters in the container which View may be said to be taken somewhat on the plane of the central line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction oi the arrows.

Referring now to the views of the drawing and to the parts by reference numerals and acccin panying lead lines, the container is denoted by the numeral 4. It is a cylindrical open topped can or the like having a flat bottom and of suitable size. It may be of any appropriate material such as lightweight metal or commercial plastics. The open top normally closed by a marginally flanged lid or cover 6. Any number of coasters may be stored compactly within the confining limits, of the container. Usually'coasters are sold in sets of six. Each coaster is of lightweight material and is in the form of a shallow pan. For convenience the coasters are separately=denoted by the reference numerals '8, l0, l2, M, It, and H3 in Figure 3. Actually, however, each coaster is of identical construction and embodies a disc 'like flat bottom '20 and a marginal rim 22. The flat bottom is provided with a plurality of holes or openings and these are denoted by the. numerals 24. There are five such holes in the. bottom of each coaster and they are at equidistant circumferentially spaced points. They areapproximately degrees apart and fitting in the remaining space is the anchoring stake or pron-g 26. This is rigidly secured at its upper end as at 28 to the bottom of the coast er and has a, pointed lower end. It is of suitable length to permit it to be pressed into the ground or other soft surface for basing the coaster and anchoring it against accidental displacement. Thus made the coaster is ideal for out-of-doors and so-called picnic purposes, as is obvious. It may be used to support drinking glasses, beverage cans, bottles and so on. Thus, we have .a shallow pan-shaped coaster with a, flat bottom and marginal rim, with drainage holes in its bottom and with an anchoring pron-g depending at right angles from the bottom. The holes are not primarily for drainage purposes. As a matter of fact they are for clearance purposes as is best observed in the showing made in Figure 3. Here is shown a central vertical section of the complete kit with the coasters stacked and nested in the confines of the container with the lid on the container. Due to the fact that the section is taken on the central vertical line, approximately the line 3-3 in Figure 2, but four of the prongs or pins are shown.

Actually, however, there are six prongs beof the container.

3 cause each coaster has its own anchoring prong. In stacking the coasters the lowermost ones are turned upside down, that is the

coasters

14,16 and I8. This means that the prong 26 of the lowermost coaster extends up through aligned holes in the adjacent superposed coasters. Also the prong on the second coaster l6 extends up through those coasters which are stacked above it. The other three coasters 8-, I0 and 12 are stacked and nested in the manner shown and they are turned right side up. In this way there will always be registering holes in all of the coasters to permit the passage of the selected prongs through the holes. These holes thus piercing or passing through the coacting coasters permit satisfactory clearance and complete storage of the coasters, notwithstanding the presence of the anchoring pins, in intimate stacked and contacting relationship with in the confines Although the pattern of interconnecting the coasters by way of the prongs passing through the holes seems somewhat complex in the absence of having the actual device in hand, with the latter in hand it is an easy matter for one to stack the two sets of coasters in the manner shown with the pins or prongs in out-of-the-way positions.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice if desired.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A picnic kit of the class described comprising an open top container, a removable lid closing said open top, several shallow pan-shaped coasters stacked upside down in the lower portion of said container, each coaster having a flat bottom, a ground penetrating and anchoring prong rigidly and eccentrically attached to the bottom of each coaster and each coaster having eccentrically located holes in its bottom, said invention, What is prongs passing selectively through predetermined holes in said coasters, and several right side up coasters stacked atop one another on top of said first mentioned coasters, said right side up coasters being identical in construction with the first named coasters and correspondingly joined together by like prongs and bottom holes through which certain of the prongs project.

2. A picnic kit of the class described comprising a container, and a plurality of pan-shaped coasters stacked in said container, each coaster being a shallow flat bottomed circular pan having an anchoring prong rigidly attached eccentrically to and extending at right angles from said fiat bottom, each coaster having a plurality of circumferentially spaced eccentrically situated holes in its bottom, the holes in the respective coasters being registered with each other, and certain of the prongs passing through se lected holes in other coasters, whereby to permit a series of coasters to be stacked one upon the other and compactly packaged in a small container despite the otherwise would-be obstructions presented by the presence of the prongs on 1 the coasters.

OTTO A. BLADOW.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 26,106 Douglass Sept. 29, 1896 67,391 Wilcox July 30, 1867 647,388 Evans Apr. 10, 1900 716,560 Leininger Dec. 23, 1902 982,538 Senge Jan. 24, 1911 1,530,815 Dear Mar. 24, 1925 1,876,322 Rudolph Sept. 6, 1932 1,879,952 Rosen Sept. 27, 1932 1,930,300 Boll Oct. 10, 1933 1,981,627 Merriman Nov. 2-0, 1934 2,365,461 Fairbanks Dec. 19, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,537/30 Australia June'l, 1931