US2658474A

US2658474A - Sponge cup

Info

Publication number: US2658474A
Application number: US157990A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter L Kuehn; Frederick G Sengbusch
Original assignee: SENGBUSCH SELF CLOSING INKSTAN
Current assignee: SENGBUSCH SELF CLOSING INKSTAN; SENGBUSCH SELF-CLOSING INKSTAND Co
Priority date: 1950-04-25
Filing date: 1950-04-25
Publication date: 1953-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1970-11-10

Description

SPONGE CUP Filed April 25, 1950 Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPONGE 'CUP Wisconsin Application-April 25, 1950, Serial No. 157,990

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to sponge cups such as are used in oflices, banks and other places where it is frequently desired to moisten the end of a finger to assist in separating sheets of paper, separating or counting paper money and for similar Purposes.

The main object of the invention is to provide a sponge cup with a liquid storage chamber for supplying water or other liquid to the sponge and to provide an arrangement in which the feed of Water to the sponge, or at least to the top surface thereof is so controlled that the top portion of the sponge will be provided with an adequate supply of water but will not be flooded.

Other objects are to provide a sponge cup of the character indicated, with a safety or over flow chamber which will trap and return to the sponge, any excess Water squeezed out of the sponge in normal usage thereof, and to provide a form of construction of such a sponge cup which is highly practical and economical so that the finished product may be sold at prices consistent with the present commercial range of prices for devices designed for the same purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein there is illustrated a sponge cup embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is plan; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 22 of Fig. l.

The sponge cup structure shown in the drawing comprises inner and outer cylindrical tubular wall members I and 2, respectively, a bottom closure 3 being formed integrally with the outer wall member 2. A sponge l is positioned within said inner wall I, and this sponge may be a natural sponge or of sponge rubber or other artificial or synthetic material.

The inner or central tubular wall is supported in spaced relation approximately concentric with the outer wall 2 by means of a laterally extending partition wall part 5 and an upwardly extending peripheral annular wall or flange B which has a laterally outwardly extending rim flange l overlying the upper edge of the outer wall 2. The peripheral wall part 6 is removably fitted into the upper end portion of the outer wall 2, a rubber or similar gasket 8 being preferably interposed between said

wall parts

6 and 2 to frictionally hold the inner part in place in the outer part.

The inner part comprising the central wall l,

the partition 5, peripheral wall 6 and its rim flange 7 may be molded in one piece and the outer part or receptacle comprising the annular wall 2 and the bottom 3 may similarly be molded in one piece, both parts being advantageously made of any suitable water resistant plastic composition of which many are now available.

As shown in the drawing, the partition 5 is located intermediate the upper and lower ends of the wall I and serves to divide the annular space between the walls I and 2 into upper and lower chambers 9 and Ill, respectively. The upper end ll of the wall I is preferably located somewhat below the plane of the top of the device as shown and one or more openings [2 are provided in the inner wall portion i above the partition 5 so as to drain any Water which finds its Way into the upper chamber 9 back into the sponge.

The lower end of the wall I terminates as indicated at it a short distance above the bottom of the receptacle so as to provide communication between the lower chamber l0 and the sponge receiving chamber and the sponge positioned therein.

The bottom wall 3 may conveniently be provided with one or more upstanding bosses such as the illustrated centrally disposed boss Hi and a series of circumferentially spaced bosses [5 which are spaced outwardly from the central boss It; these bosses serve to normally support the sponge 4 in slightly elevated position relative to the bottom 3. This helps to prevent any gum or similar accumulations from filling and sealing the lower end of the sponge 4.

The lower margina1 portion of the outer wall 2 is provided with an enlargement or thickened portion as indicated at It and an annular recess ii is provided in this thickened portion. A cushion member I8 which may be in the form of an annular resilient rubber member or the like is positioned in the recess ll, being seated on the bottom of said recess and of such depth as to project slightly below the bottom plane of the bottom wall 3. This resilient cushioning member 18 is preferably tensioned around the surrounded lower portion of the outer structure so as to thereby frictionally retain itself in place in the recess ll. Said member l8 provides an effective non-slipping, table finish protecting bottom for the device in a very inexpensive, easily assembled and otherwise practicable manner.

As shown in Figure 2 the upper marginal portion of the side wall 2 is interiorly recessed as indicated Hi to provide a seat for receiving the sealing gasket 8 thereby permitting the chamber 9 to be made somewhat wider than would be practicable if the upper portion of the wall 2 were made of the same thickness as the lower portion.

The chamber it constitutes a water reservoir or storage chamber and water is 'of course delivered to the sponge through the passageway provided between the lower end l3 of the central wall I and the bottom 3. The water is carried upwardly in the sponge largely by capillary action in the small spaces or pores of the sponge so that the upper surface of the spongewill not be-excessively wetted or flooded. When the top of the sponge is depressed, any water thereby pressed out of the sponge at its sides will flow into the chamber 9 and from thence will be returned to the sponge through the passageways indicated at l2.

Various changes in the described arrangement may be made while retaining the principles thereof as indicated in the foregoing description.

I claim:

1. A sponge cup comprising an outer receptacle having a bottom wall and an annular outer side wall integral with and extending upwardly from said bottom wall; an inner member having an open ended tube disposed within said outer receptacle in substantially coaxial relation to the side wall thereof with the lower end of said tube spaced from said bottom wall, an annular flange integral with said tube and extending laterally outwardly therefrom intermediate its ends, an annular inner side wall integral with and extending upwardly from the outer periphery of said flange in substantially concentric relation to said tube and having an outside diameter which is a free fit within said outer side wall, and a rim flange integral with said inner side wall and extending laterally outwardly from the upper edge thereof, said rim flange overlying and being seated on the upper end of said outer side wall to thereby determine the spacing of the lower end of said tube from said bottom wall; the upper portion of said tube, said flange, and said annular inner wall cooperating to form an annular chamber; and an annular gasket intermediate said inner and outer side walls adjacent said rim flange and serving to frictionally secure said inner member in place as aforesaid in said outer receptacle; said tubular member being adapted to hold a sponge with the lower end thereof seated on said bottom wall, and said inner member being provided with a hole establishing communication between said chamber and said receptacle to drain from said chamber any liquid expressed thereinto from a sponge held in said tube as aforesaid.

2. A sponge cup comprising an outer receptacle having a bottom wall and an annular outer side wall integral with and extending upwardly from said bottom wall, the lower marginal portion of said outer side wall being of greater thickness than the overlying portion thereof, and said bottom wall and lower marginal side wall portion being provided with a narrow annular recess; an annular elastic band seated in said recess and projecting below said side and bottom walls; an inner member having an open ended tube disposed within said outer receptacle in substantially coaxial relation to the side wall thereof and with the lower end of said tube spaced from said bottom wall, an annular flange integral with said tube and extending laterally outwardly therefrom intermediate its ends, an annular inner side wall integral with and extending upwardly from the outer periphery of said flange in substantially concentric relation to said tube and having an outside diameter which is a free fit within said outer side wall, and a rim flange integral with said inner side wall and extending laterally outwardly from the upper edge thereof, said rim flange overlying and being seated on the upper end of said outer side wall to thereby determine the spacing of the lower end of said tube from said bottom wall; the upper portion of said tube, said flange, and said annular inner wall cooperating to form an annular chamber; and an annular gasket intermediate said inner and outer side walls adjacent said rim flange and serving to frictionally secure said inner member in place as aforesaid in said outer receptacle; said tubular member being adapted to hold a sponge with the lower end thereof seated on said bottom wall, and said tube being provided with a hole establishing communication between said chamber and the inside of said tube to drain from said chamber any liquid expressed thereinto from a sponge held in said tube as aforesaid.

3. A sponge cup comprising an outer receptacle having a bottom wall and an annular outer side wall integral with and extending upwardly from said bottom wall; an inner member having an open ended tube disposed within said receptacle in substantially coaxial relation to the side wall thereof and with at least a portion of the lower end of said tube spaced from said bottom wall, an annular flange integral with said tube and extending laterally outwardly therefrom intermediate its ends, an annular inner side wall integral with and extending upwardly from the outer periphery of said flange in substantially concentric relation to said tube within said outer side wall, and a rim flange integral with said inner side wall and extending laterally outwardly from the upper edge thereof into overlying relation to the upper end of said outer side wall, the upper portion of said tube, said flange, and said annular inner wall cooperating to form an annular cham her; said tubular member being adapted to hold a sponge with the lower end thereof seated on said bottom wall, and said inner member being provided with a hole establishing communication between said chamber and said receptacle to drain from said chamber any liquid expressed thereinto from a sponge held in said tube as aforesaid.

GUSTAV J. SENGBUSCI-I.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,786 McGinty Mar. 4, 1924 972,661 Summers Oct. 11, 1910 1,741,783 Lower Dec. 31, 1929 2,085,862 Lee July 6, 1937 2,399,400 Snelling Apr. 30, 1946