US2849178A - Spinning smoker's stand - Google Patents

Description

ug. 26, 1958 M. LANGBAUM SPINNING sNoKERs STAND 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1'?, 195? MURRFY LHNGBHUM BY m HTTUENEI Aug. 26, 1958 M. LANGB'AUM SPINNING sMoKER's STAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 17, 1957 l HTTURNE'Y MURRHY LFINGBHUM Patented Aug. 26, 1958 SPINNING SMOKERS STAND Murray Langbanm, East Hills, N. Y. Application June 17, 1957, Serial No. 665,996 6 Claims. (Cl. 232-43.2)

This invention relates to smokers stands, and more particularly has reference to a stand of the type in which is incorporated a spinning ash receiver closure:

In smokers stands of the character described, the upwardly opening ash receiver is provided with a closure which is normally in a closed position. The closure constitutes the bottom of an ash tray, and is adapted to be depressed for the purpose of causing cigarette butts and ashes to be transferred from the tray to a receptacle below the tray or closure. Means is provided, in a device of the character stated, for imparting rapidly spinning movement to the closure as it is depressed, so that the ashes will be whirled off the same by centrifugal force.

Ash receivers of the character described have the disadvantage that most usually it is rather difficult to clean the same. The spinning type closure must be separated from the ash receiver, or held in open position, and this is a decided inconvenience to the worker whose duty it is to clean the smokers stand.

The inconvenience is heightened, by reason of the fact that most usually, a smokers stand of the character stated will be used in various public places, in quantity, as for example, in hotel lobbys, smokers lounges of railroad cars, etc. When one must, as a result, clean a substantial number of the smokers stands one after another, consider* able time is lost by reason of the present construction of such devices.

Accordingly, one important object of the present invention is to provide a smokers stand having an ash receiver normally fully closed by the closure device of the spinning type previously referred to herein. In accordance with the invention it is proposed that said receiver be swiftly and easily depressed, without requiring any movement of the spinning type closure, to a position such as to expose the interior of the receiver and permit removal from the receiver of a bowl or container disposed therein. A clean container can be then positioned in the receiver and the receiver returns to its normal position.

Another object is to provide a smokers stand of the character described which will have the decidedly benecial `characteristics noted, but which Will be so designed as to be seemingly a completely conventional stand not having the novel means for depressing the receiver to a position exposing the interior thereof.

Another object is to provide a smokers stand of the character described which will be characterized by the relatively low cost thereof, considering the benets to be obtained from the use thereof.

Still another object is to so form the depressible receiver that it will not interfere with the normal operation of the spinning typeclosure.

In another form of the invention, it is an important object to provide means which will cause the receiver to move to a depressed position responsive merely to depression of a latch. p

Still another object, in the form of the invention referred to immediately above, is to incorporate in the construction means that will partially eject the removable bowl whenever the closure automatically shifts to its depressed position on releasing of the latch.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

in the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a smokers stand according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the upper portion of the stand, separated from the lower portion, as seen from the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the smokers stand.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the stand partially in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, with the ash receiver in its normal, raised position, the closure being shown in full and dotted lines in its normal and depressed .positions respectively.

Fig. 6 is a view of the stand partially in side elevation and partly in longitudinally section, portions being broken away, with the ash receiver depressed.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modied construction, with the ash receiver means being shown in full and dotted lines in its normal and lowered positions respectively.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, detail sectional view substantially on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, showing the latch means.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view on substantially the same scale as Fig. 8, of the latch means and the mount therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the smokers stand constituting the present invention includes, at its lower end, a Hat, circular base plate 10 lying in a horizontal plane and integrally formed at its periphery with a depending marginal flange 11. In face-to-face contact with the underside of base plate 10 is a correspondingly peripherally flanged reinforcement plate 12. Adjacent the peripheries of plates 10, 12, pairs of diametrically opposed, registering openings are formed in the respective plates, and are smooth-walled. Extending downwardly through the registering openings are the reduced,'threaded, axial extensions 14 formed on the lower ends of elongated, vertical standards 16 that extend upwardly from the base constituted by the plates 10, 12. Nuts 18 are threaded onto the extensions 14, against the underside of the plate 12, to lixedly secure the standards to the base.

integrally formed on the plate 12 is a vertically, upwardly extending center boss 2t) which is tubularly formed as shown, and which is externally threaded to receive an internally threaded nut 22. Nut 22 is externally threaded, to engage internal threads formed in the lower end of an elongated, vertical, tubular support post 24.

Post 24, at its upper end, abuts the lower end of a tubular connector piece 26, which' is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the upper end of the post. The connector piece 26, at its upper end, has a thick top wall formed with a large, threaded center opening 28. Thus, the connector piece 26 may be appropriately considered as being of inverted cup shape, with a large opening in its upper end. Snugly engaged in the connector piece 26 is a thick, axially bored block 32 of a friction-producing, compressible material, such as packing, felt, or the like.

An extension 34 of the post is of hollow formation, and snugly engaged therein is an upper block 36, formed ofthe same material as the block 32. The extension 34, at its upper end, may beswaged or otherwise closed over the block 36, imparting .a tapering formation to the extension 34, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Extension 34 is centrally formed, at its lower end, with a depending, axial extension 38, and the extension 38 is externally threaded to snugly engage in the opening 28.

It will thus be seen that a post means is provided, symmetrically disposed in respect to and between the standards 16. Said post means is constituted `by the post 24, the connector piece 26', and the extension 34, and by the blocks 32, 36. It will be seen that the post means is of hollow formation, having a reduced axial bore at its upper end defined by the co-axially aligned bores of the blocks 32, 36, and of the depending extension or projection 38.

In the upper end of the extension 34 there is formed a center opening 39, aligned with the bores of the blocks 32, 36 and slidably engaged in the opening 39 is the lower end portion of an elongated, tubular support member 40. Member 40 extends axially of and within the post means, and is snugly engaged in the bores of the blocks 32, 36. To prevent accidental movement of the member 40 upwardly out of the post means, the lower end 42 thereof may be peened over or upset as shown.

The member 40, by reason of the frictional engagement of the blocks against the same, vis held in selected positions to which it is manually, slidably shifted axially of the post means. Thus, in one extreme position of the member 40 it is disposed as in Fig. 5 and is extended to the maximum extent from the post means. Blocks 32, 36 frictionally engage the member 40 to hold the same extended. However, with comparatively little vmanual elort, the member 40 can be shifted downwardly, sliding in the blocks and remaining in any position to which it is so shifted, as for example, in the lower extreme position of the member 40 shown in Fig. 6.

Supported upon the upper end of member 40 is an upwardly opening, approximately hemispherical ash receiver 42. Thi-s is formed with a center opening receiving, loosely, the threaded upper end of the member 40. Washers 44 are disposed in contact with the opposite faces of the receiver 42, and nuts 46, 48, threaded upon the member 40, are threaded toward each other against the washers to `thus lixedly secure the receiver 42 to the member 40.

The smokers stand includes a Hat, circular top plate 50 lying in a plane normal to the lengths of the post means and member 40. The top plate 50 is dependingly, peripherally hanged at 52, and inwardly from the ange has diametrically opposite Openings. Underlying the openings of plate 50 are parallel, wide brace plates- 54 ('s'ee Fig. 3), and extending downwardly through the openings of the top plate are the parallel legs of a handle 56 of inverted U-shape. Said legs at their lower ends are roughened to xedly engage in the upper ends of the tubular vstandards 16. The standards 16 are externally threaded at their upper ends, engaging in openings of the brace plate and threaded on the standards are nuts 58 bearing against the brace plates.

This provides for xed connection of the plate 50, handle S6, and standards 16 to one another. It will be understood that various other means might be employed, within the spirit of the invention, to effect the desired connection of these parts.

The top plate 50 has a large center opening, surrounded by an upwardly projecting wall 58, straddled by a ring 60 of inverted U-shape when seen in cross section at any location on its circumference (see Fig.

A spinning type closure means' is incorporated in the device, and since such means are, per se, conventional, said means will not be described in detail herein. It is sufcient to note that said means includes an upwardly projecting plunger 62, having a knob at its upper end, said plunger projecting upwardly, .centrally within the opening of the ltop plate. Adjacent the lower end of the Aplunger there is a crossbar 64 forming a rest .for cigarettes or cigars, and below the crossbar 64 (which is "lixedly secured in ,position extending diametrically across the -n'ng 60) there is provided a at, circular receiver plate 66, dependingly, peripherally flanged and normally bearing against the edge portion of the opening of the top plate. The plate 66 is held by a washer 68 overlying a head 70 of a spindle that extends axially of the plunger.

The construction is such that when the knob is depressed in respect to the tube 62, the closure plate 66 will not only be depressed to the dotted line position, but also, will be caused to whirl rapidly as it moves to its lower position, so as to cause the ashes to be whirled off the same into an upwardly opening, glass, hemispherical bowl or receptacle 72 removably seated within the receiver 42.

Normally, the member 40 is shifted upwardly to dispose the receiver 42 in full contact at its periphery with the underside of the top plate 50, about the opening of the top plate. Bowl 72 is disposed within the receiver, and when the closure plate is depressed, the ashes will be caused to move into the bowl 72.

At such time as it may be desired to clean the smokers stand, the member 40 is lowered to the Fig. 6 position, so that the receiver is now positioned a substantial distance downwardly from the top plate, permitting ready access to bowl 72. The bowl could thus be removed and can be easily cleaned and put back in the receiver, after which the receiver is returned to its normal position shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of cleaning the lstand, of course, is done without requiring any interference with the spinning type closure means.

In Figs. 7-9, the smokers stand is identical to that previously described herein, with the exception that the reinforcing plate 12a of the base has a slightly longer axial projection 20?' than is true of the plate 12 having projection 20. Projection 20ab thus extends upwardly above nut 22 within the post means, and has an opening to which is hooked the lower end of an elongated, contractile spring 78. The upper end of the spring 78 is hooked to .the inner end 4of the member 40.

In Lthis `form of 4the invention, further, the bowl 472a has a flat bottom spaced upwardly from the bottom of the Areceiver 42, as shown in -full lines in Fig. 7. integrally formed upon the `bottom of the bowl 72a is a depending projection or boss 74, about which is engaged one end of a compression, coil spring 76, the other end of which engages about a nut 48.

A right-angular latch or detent 80 (see Figs. 8 and 9) has an Aouter yend thickened and circularly formed to provide a. nge-r or Athumb rest l82. A-t its opposite end, the vertical, upwardly projecting leg of the latch is integrally formed -with a forwardly projecting, pointed pin 84, adapted to engage 4in a complementary opening 86 formed in the side wall of the member 40 (Fig. 8).

Adjacent the juncture of the angularly related legs of the latch, there is integrally formed on the underside of the latch transversely aligned bearing lugs 88, adapted to be embraced `by upwardly projecting ears fixedly secured to the tapered upper portion of the extension 34H. The several registering openings of the ears and bearing lugs receive a pivot pin 92, mounting the latch for swinging movement .between the full land dotted line positions of Fig. 7.

A torsion spring 94 has oppositely extending end portions, one of which 'bears against a verticalleg of the latch, and the other of which bears against the wall of the extension 34a. YIntermediate its ends, spring 94 has a lcoil loosely passed about the pin 92 within a slot 96 of the latch. The spring ,is tensioned to normally bias the latch counterclockwise in Fig. 7, to its latching, full line position.

In use of this form of the invention, the member 40 is first manually raised to its full line position. When the member 40 is raised to its maximum extent, the pin 84 will engage in opening .86, holding the member in the raised' position against the opposing pull of the Vspring 78. Bowl 72a bears against the underside of the top plate 50 at this time, being firmly held against the ltop by the spring 76, which is held under compression between the bowl and the receiver.

The smokers stand is used in the same manner as in the rst form of the invention, and the spinning type closure is depressed as previously described for depositing ashes in the bowl.

Assuming that it is desired to clean the stand, one merely exerts a light downward pressure on the thumb rest of the latch, biasing the latch to its dotted line position against the restraint of spring 94 to shift pin 84 out of opening 86. Spring 78 is now free to contract, and immediately pulls the post 40 downwardly.

It is important to note that the post is not abruptly snapped to the lower position at this time. Instead, the frictional engagement of the blocks 36, 32 with the member 40 serves to set up a braking action, so as to brake or retard the downward movement of the member 40. The member 40 thus moves comparatively rapidly, but not overly so, to its lower position, since spring 78 exceeds in its-V pulling force the restraint imposed upon the member 40 by the blocks 32, 36, to a predetermined extent.

As the post 40 moves to its lower position, the receiver and the bowl move downwardly out of engagement with the top plate 50. As a result, the spring 76 is now free to expand, and causes the bowl 72a to pop up, that is, said spring 76 partially ejects the bowl with the bowl now being in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7, in respect to the dotted line position of the receiver 42 shown in this ligure of the drawing. As a result, the top portion of the bowl is now located so that it can be easily grasped for effecting the complete removal of the bowl from the receiver.

When the stand is to be again placed in use, the bowl is put back in the receiver, and the receiver and member 40 are manually shifted upwardly to their full line position of Fig. 7, with latch 82 engaging automatically in the opening 86 when the receiver reaches its uppermost position.

It thus becomes apparent that merely responsive to depression of the latch 82, the receiver moves automatically to its lower position, and at the same time, the bowl is partially ejected so as to be capable of being grasped conveniently.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardly therefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, means lixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopically adjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position of said member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the member for ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and a bowl removably s-eated in the receptacle, the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which the member extends, said material binding against the member in selected positions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positions of telescopic adjustment.

2. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardly therefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, means iixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopically adjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position of said member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the member for ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle, the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which the member extends, said material binding against the member in selected positions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positions of telescopic adjustment, said friction-producing material being in the form of a plurality of blocks spaced axially of the post means and member.

3. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardly therefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, means fixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopically adjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position of said member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the member for ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle, the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which the member extends, said material binding against the member in selected positions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receiving means including a spring held under compression between the bowl and receptacle for partially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of the bowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith.

4. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardly therefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, means lixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopically adjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged against the underside ofthe top plate in one position of said member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the member for ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle, the post means being ho-llowly formed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which the member extends, said material binding against the member in selected positions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receiving means including a spring held under compression between the bowl and receptacle forpartially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of the bowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith, said stand further including a contractile spring connected between said member and the base for normally shifting the member in a direction away from the top plate, whereby to permit partial ejection of the bowl on movement of the member away from the top plate under the pull of 7 the contractile spring, and latch means carried by the post means and normally engaging said member in an upper position thereof in which the bowl and receptacle are in engagement with the top plate, the contractile springk being of a force adapted to overcome the restraining force of the friction-producing material on shifting of the latch means out of engagement with said member, whereby to effect retraction of said member within the post means at a predetermined, retarded rate.

5. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardly therefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, means xedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopically adjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving means carried by'said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position of said member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the member for ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle, the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which the member extends, said material binding against the member in selected positions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receiving means including a spring held under compression between the bowl and receptacle for partially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of the bowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith, said stand further including a contractile spring connected between said member and the base for normally shifting the member in a direction away from the top plate, whereby to permit partial ejection of the bowl on movement of the member away from the top plate under the pull of the contractile spring, and latch means carried by the post means and normally engaging said member in an upper position thereof in which the bowl and receptacle are in engagement with the top plate, the contractile spring being of a force adapted to overcome the restraining force of the friction-producing material on shifting of the latch means out of engagement with said member, whereby to effect retraction of said member within the post means at a predetermined, retarded rate, the latch means comprising a detent pivotally mounted upon the post means and including a pin projecting toward said member, said member having an aperture receiving the pin in the extended position4 of said member.

6. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardly therefrom, a top plate havingv a central ash-receiving opening, means tixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spaced upwardly from the post means, asupport member telescopically adjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position of said member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the member for ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle, the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which the member extends, said material binding against the member in selected positions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receiving means including a spring held under compression between the bowl and receptacle for partially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of the bowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith, said stand further including a contractile spring connected between said member and the base for normally shifting the member in a direction away from the top plate, whereby to permit partial ejection of the bowl on movement of the member away from the top plate under the pull of the contractile spring, and latch means carried by the post means and normally engaging said member in an upper position thereof in which the bowl and receptacle are in engagement with the top plate, the contractile spring being of a force adapted to overcome the restraining force of the friction-producing material on shifting of the latch means out of engagement with said member, whereby to effect retraction of said member Within the post means at a predetermined, retarded rate, the latch means comprising a detent pivotally mounted upon the post means and including a pin projecting toward said member, said member having an aperture receiving the pin in the extended position of said member, said latch means being spring biased in the direction of said member and including a handle for swinging the latch means against the spring bias thereof out of engagement with said member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,531,248 Anderson Mar. 24, 1925 1,561,339 Marani Nov. 10, 1925 1,833,517 Earles Nov. 24, 1931 2,108,436 Hardy Feb. 15, 1938 2,130,844 Holman Sept. 20, 1938 2,213,915V Katz Sept. 3, 1940

Images