US2821448A - Pipe rack and storage box - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 28, 1958 J. R. BENDER PIPE RACK AND STORAGE BOX Filed NOV. 1, 1954 Sheets-Sheet l Jan, 28, 1958 R DE 2,821,448

PIPE RACK AND STORAGE! BOX I Filed Nov. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l o o I Emit PIPE RACK AND STORAGE BOX Julian R. Bender, Brooklyn, N. '1. Application November 1, 1954, Serial N 0. 465,882 1 Claim. (Cl. 312-31) This invention relates to a smoking accessory and is more particularly concerned with a pipe holding and storing device. More specifically the invention relates to a device of the character indicated wherein the pipes are maintained in a deodorizing atmosphere.

Many types of pipe racks and holders are known which are used in the home or office for holding and storing smoking pipes when not in use. These devices are, for the most part, simple racks having an apertured support for the stem of the pipe and having a suitably grooved surface for receiving the bowl of the pipe. When these conventional pipe racks and holders are used, the pipe is exposed to the room air and collects dust and moisture and gives off characteristic odors to the surrounding atmosphere. To persons who do not smoke, this odor is often disagreeable, and the continuous presence of odors and moisture in the pipe, due to repeated use and exposure of the resultant tars and other combustion products, causes changes which are unpleasant even to the pipe user. Furthermore, the pipe racks and stands commonly used are diflicult to clean, have a rather limited capacity, and often can accommodate pipes only of specific sizes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pipe holding and storing device which avoids the disadvantages and drawbacks of the pipe holders and racks heretofore known.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of the character indicated which can accommodate a maximum number of pipes even when the pipes are of varying sizes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pipe holding and storing device which is easily cleaned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pipe holding and storing device which maintains the pipes in a deodorizing and dehumidifying atmosphere.

In accordance with the invention, 1 provide an improved device for holding and storing smoking pipes which includes a rack having a base provided with a continuous groove for receiving the pipe bowls, the base being in communicating relationship with a chamber adapted to contain a dehumidifying and deodorizing agent and being constructed to provide a short path for the flow of vapors between the bowl of the pipes and the deodorizing chamber, the base being associated with a rack member for confining the stems of the pipes being stored.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base is connected with a cover member which is constructed to cooperate with a receptacle in which the base and its associated parts may be received for completely enclosing the pipes being stored and confining the deodorizing atmosphere provided in the dehumidifying and deodorizing chamber.

It is a feature of the invention that the base of the structure specified permits reception of a maximum number of pipes even though the pipes are of varying sizes and shapes.

It is another feature of the invention that the base is constructed to provide a minimum path of communica- Patented Jan. 28, 1958 tion between the deodorizing chamber and the pipe bowls.

It is a further object of the invention that the cover provided over the base and its associated parts not only shields the pipes but simultaneously acts as a cover for the receptacle adapted to receive the base to conceal the pipes and to confine them within a relatively small enclosure which communicates directly with the dehumidifying and deodorizing chamber associated with the base.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof and from the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pipe holding and storing device embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pipe holding base and associated parts shown in Fig. 1, the cover member being omitted in order more clearly to show the remain ing portions of the unit; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, similar to that of Fig. 4, of the pipe holding unit of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the reference numeral designates a receptacle which is open at its top and defines an interior chamber 12. The receptacle 10 in the embodiment illustrated is cylindrical in form, i. c. it has a circular cross section, but it may vary in shape if desired and it may have a cross section which is oval, square, or of any other convenient polygonal form.

Disposed interiorly of the receptacle 10 is a pipe supporting unit designated generally by the reference character 15. Unit includes a lower platform 16 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is circular in form and is dimensioned to fit within receptacle 10, and a container 18 which is adapted to hold a dehumidifying and deodorizing composition 20 to provide a dehumidifying and deodorizing chamber 22. As may be seen in Fig. 1, platform 16 has a peripheral flange 24 adjoining the outer wall 25 of an annular channel 26 having a planar bottom 28. Centrally the platform 16 is formed with a circular main body portion 30 having a side wall 31 which defines the inner wall of the channel 26 and a top wall 32. The container 18 is dimensioned to be received in the circular recess 34 defined by the body portion and to extend somewhat below the bottom 28 of channel 26. A flange 35 is provided to engage the bottom 28 to limit movement of container 18 into recess 34. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the container 18 is received in recess 34 with a friction fit but it will be understood that any convenient means for removably connecting these two units may be used. For example, container 18 and recess 34 may be provided with complementary threads for threaded inter-engagement.

The unit 15 also includes an upper rack which is advantageously circular in form and is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures 41 adapted to receive the stems of the pipes having their bowls resting in channel 26 of platform 16, as shown in Fig. 1. The edges of the apertures 41 are suitably covered with grommets 42 in order to prevent damage to the pipe stems. Disposed above and overhanging rack it) and platform 16 is a shielding cover member 45 which is provided with a removable handle member 46. As seen in Fig. 1, cover member 45 is dimensioned to be received over the opening in receptacle 10 to form a closure therefor and is suitably provided with a rolled peripheral edge adapted to overlie the upper rim of receptacle 10.

To facilitate .assembly and .disassembly for cleaning and other purposes lower platform 16, upper rack 40, cover member 45 and handle member 46 are removably interconnected by means of a :stud :bolt 48 and a pair of sleeves 50 and 51. Cover member 45, upper rack 40 and top wall 32 of platform 16 are provided with central apertures 54, 55 and 56, respectively, in which stud bolt 48 is received, a nut 58 threadeclly engaging the lower end of the bolt and handle member 46 being tapped at 59 for threaded engagement with the upper end of the bolt. Thus, by tightening nut 53 and handle member 46 the entire assembly is rigidly inter-connected but can be readily disassembled when desired.

The construction of the smoking accessory of the invention is such that it provides means not only for holding and protecting smoking pipes when they are not in use but also for maintaining these pipes in .a 'dehumidifying and deodorizing atmosphere to the advantage of both the smoker and the non-smoker. As will be apparent from Fig. l, the cover member 45 which, when the unit 15 is removed from the receptacle 10, serves to protect the pipes from damage from falling objects, cooperates with the receptacle to provide an enclosure for the pipeholding unit which confines it and further protects it. At the same time, the dehumidifying and deodorizing atmosphere which is present in chamber '22 communicates with the atmosphere confined in receptacle 10. For this purpose, the top wall 32 of the main body portion of the platform 16 is provided with a plurality of apertures 60 surrounding sleeve 50 and in close proximity to channel 26. The atmosphere created in chamber 22 is thus brought into contact with the bowls of the pipes being stored to dehumidify and deodorize them. This atmosphere also mingles with the entire atmosphere in the receptacle and thus simultaneously acts upon all parts of the pipes. The inter-relationship of apertures 60 to chamber 22 and bowl-receiving channel 26 is such, however, that the dehumidifying and deodorizing atmosphere provided in chamber 22 is brought into contact with the bowls of the pipes even when the unit is removed from receptacle 10 and is set upon a table or other supporting surface. There is thus provided a smoking accessory which makes it possible to store smoking pipes in a manner in which they are fully protected from damage and are not objectionable to non-smokers while at the same time being maintained under conditions which are beneficial to the pipes and make them more suitable for later use. The structure of the bowl-receiving portion of the device permits the accommodation of a maximum number of pipes in a small area since the pipe bowls may be placed side by side even though they are of varying shapes and sizes.

The chamber 22 may be provided with any convenient solid dehumidifying and deodorizing agents. I have found to be particularly suitable a composition composed of 90-9S% granular silica gel and 5-10% activated granular charcoal. This composition has a blue color when fresh and becomes pink in color when it has become exhausted and requires replacement. The user thus has a means of knowing when the chamber 22 should be refilled to maintain an efiicient dehumidifying and deodorizing atmosphere. Other proportions of silica gel and activated charcoal may be used but preferably the major proportion is silica gel in order that the colors will not be obscured.

The receptacle and the unit 15 may be formed from any suitable material such as metal, e. g. sheet steel, or a plastic such as polystyrene, polyacrylic resins, for example Lucite, and the like. I have found it particularly advantageous to form the container 18 from a transparent plastic such as polystyrene or Lucite in order that the changing colors in the deodorizing and dehumidifying composition are clearly visible, and to form the remainder of the device from metal, painted and decorated in any desired manner.

It will be understood that the shape and relative dimensions of the various parts of the smoking accessory of the invention may be varied to suit individual tastes. For example, the handle member 46 is not necessarily a knob as shown in Fig. 1 but may be in the form of a ring or have some other convenient form. Similarly, the lower platform and the upper rack of the pipe holding unit 15 are not necessarily circular in form but may have a generally square configuration or other form to correspond generally to the cross-sectional form of the receptacle which, as previously indicated, may have any convenient polygonal cross-sectional form. By way of illustration, there is shown in Fig. 5 a pipe-holding unit 115 corresponding generally to unit 15 but varying somewhat in form in the manner above indicated. In Fig. 5 all parts corresponding to those shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are given like reference numerals to which has been added. As shown, unit has a handle member 146 which has the form of a ring secured to a tapped base 159 in which is threadedly received the bolt 148, and upper rack 140 and lower platform 116 are generally square in outline. In upper rack 140 the stem-receiving apertures 141 are arranged in a square rather than in a circle as in Fig. 1, and the main body portion of platform 116 is also of a square configuration. The container 118 for the dehumidifying and deodorizing composition is correspondingly dimensioned so that it will be received in the body portion with a snug fit, as by direct frictional engagement, communication between the interior of container 118 and surface 132 of body portion 130 being provided by apertures 160.

The embodiment of Fig. 5, like the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4, effectively and safely holds a maximum number of pipes and exposes them to a dehumidifying and deodorizing atmosphere and at the same time is easily kept clean since it is composed of structural parts which can be easily wiped with a moist cloth or can be easily disassembled for complete cleaning.

While the invention has thus been illustrated and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications in addition to those above mentioned may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim. It will further be understood that, insofar as they are not mutually incompatible, the various features and details of construction of the several embodiments shown and described are inrerchangeable with one another. It is intended, therefore, that all matter contained in the foregoing description and in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not as limitative of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A smoking accessory comprising a pipe supporting unit, said unit including a main vertical stem, a lower platform secured to said stem and an upper rack supported by said stem with spacer means surrounding said stem to hold said upper rack in vertically spaced apart relationship with respect to said lower platform, said lower platform having a raised central portion and a peripheral rim and a continuous annular groove encircling said raised central portion for receiving the bowls of a plurality of pipes, and said upper rack being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart apertures for receiving the stems of said plurality of pipes, means defining a chamber carried by said lower platform in said central portion on its under side and extending into the central portion for receiving mean-s providing a dehydrating and dehumidifying atmosphere therein and means comprising apertures in said central portion above said chamber providing communication between said chamber and the upper surface of said lower platform, said accessory further comprising means defining a receptacle having a bottom, side walls and an open upper end and receiving said unit at least to a point above said upper rack, and a shielding member for said upper rack and said lower platform 5 6 carried by said stem at a point above said upper rack, and References Cited in the file of this patent spacing means to space said upper rack from said shield- UNITED STATES PATENTS lng member to leave sa1d upper rack and sa1d lower platform exposed from the sides to permit lateral access 835,645 Smlth Nov. 13, 1906 thereto, and the periphery of said shielding member ex- 5 0 21 Bergeron Oct. 27, 1908 ending outwardly from said stem beyond the peripheries 7, Gawhell Mar. 23, 1926 of said upper rack and said lower platform and being con- 3,1 Kennedy Apr. 28, 1931 structed to cooperate with the opening of said receptacle ,987,373 Shapiro Jan. 8, 1935 to form a closure therefor, and gripping means secured ,067,920 Heuser Ian. 19, 1937 to said stem for lifting said shielding member and simul- 10 ,291, 33 Vevirit Aug. 4, 1942 taneously lifting said pipe-supporting unit for selectively ,488,087 Kravltt Nov. 15, 1949 inserting and withdrawing said unit in relation to said 2,5 8,363 Gray Apr. 10, 1951 receptacle.

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