US3068055A

US3068055A - Household napkin holder and dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3068055A
Application number: US31451A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marie A Lenzi; Quercetti Louis Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-05-24
Filing date: 1960-05-24
Publication date: 1962-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1979-12-11

Description

Dec. 11, 1962 M. A. LENZl ETAL HOUSEHOLD NAPKIN HOLDER AND DISPENSER Filed May 24, 1960 23 INVENTORS. MAP/5 A. lfA/Z/ E WI LOU/J Q EACITT/ WK M A 770f/VEX 3,068,055 HOUSEHOLD NAIKIN HOLDER AND DISPENSER Marie A. Lenzi, 632 Kennerly Road, and Louis Charles Quereetti, 631 Kennerly Road, both of Springfield, Pa. Filed May 24, 1960, Ser. No. 31,451 4 Claims. (Cl. 312-50) This invention relates generally to a household device for holding and dispensing napkins, and this application is a continuation-in-part of copending patent application Serial No. 840,732, filed September 17, 1959.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a domestic napkin holder and dispenser which is extremely simple in construction and use, durable and reliable in operation throughout a long useful life, and which is capable of many different highly attractive appearances.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a household napkin holder and dispenser which is relatively inexpensive in manufacture, capable of quick and easy loading with a pack of napkins, and wherein the napkins may be readily withdrawn individually, as required.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to'the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and .arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view showing a napkin holder and dispenser constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and in condition for use;

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view showing the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the device of the instant invention in an exploded condition.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1-3 thereof, the napkin-holdingand-dispensing device of the instant invention is there generally designated and includes a generally hexahedral or boxlike container having a front or forward section, generally designated 11, and a back or rear section, generally designated 12.

The front section 11 includes a bottom part or base 14 having a generally rectangular, horizontally disposed bottom wall 15 and provided along its front and side edges with a depending flange 16.

Extending generally vertically upward from the bottom wall 15, along the forward margin thereof, is a generally rectangular front wall 17. If desired, the front wall 17 may be provided with any suitable ornamentation, such as specifically configured cutouts, or otherwise. The upper edge 18 of the front wall 17 extends generally horizontally or laterally between the opposite sides of the front wall and has its medial portion cut away arcuately, downward, as at 19. The arcuate boundited States Patent ing edge of the cutaway region 19 is provided with a smooth forwardly outstanding lip 20.

A pair of generally vertically disposed, laterally spaced side walls 21 extend generally vertically upward from respective side regions of the bottom wall 15 and each rearward from the adjacent side of the front wall 17. The side walls 21 may each be generally rectangular, and have its rear upper region convexly curved, as at 22 in FIGURE 5. Also, a recess or hole 23 may be formed in each side wall 21 in the lower, rearward region thereof, for a purpose appearing presently. In an upper region of each side wall 21, proximate to the rear edge thereof, and on the outer or external side of each rear wall is provided a catch element 24. As illustrated, the catch element 24 may be of a wedge-shaped configuration with its wider edge facing forward.

As thus described, the front section 11 may advantageously be integrally fabricated of plastic, the dimensions and material being selected to afford the side walls 21 a slight degree of resilient deflectability. That is, the side walls 21 are resiliently deflectable toward and away from each other; and, the wedges or catch elements 24 are movable with the side walls upon resilient deflection of the latter.

The back section 12 includes a generally rectangular back wall 28, which has its upper region bent to curve smoothly forward for mergence with a generally rectangular top wall 29. Thus, the back wall 28 and top wall 29 are connected together by the smoothly curving portion 30, which may be of a curvature similar to that of the edge portions 22.

The back wall may be formed centrally with a plurality of projections of tabs 31, which may be three in number and located in triangular arrangement, extending obliquely inward or forward away from each other. There may also be provided in the back wall 28, say in the upper region thereof, a pair of laterally spaced apart, inverted, generally keyhole-shaped slots or apertures 32, and if desired an additional generally circular hole or aperture 33 spaced medially between the keyhole-shaped slots. It will also be observed that the back wall 28 is of a smaller vertical dimension than the front wall 17, the lower laterally extending edge 34 of the back wall terminating in vertically spaced relation above the bottlom wall 15 in the assembled condition of FIGURES and 2.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the top wall 29 extends forward from the back wall 28 and terminates at a forward, laterally extending edge 35 which is short of or spaced rearward from the front wall 17. Further, the forward edge 35 of top wall 29, which extends laterally between opposite sides of the top wall, is formed with an intermediate, rearwardly cutawayregion 36 of an arcuate configuration complementary to the front-wall cutout 19. Extending along the bounding edge of the cutout 36, upstanding from the top wall 29, is a rounded lip or head 37.

Extending along each pair of adjacent side edges of the back wall 28 and top wall 29, and the curved connecting portion 30, are a pair of forwardly and downwardly extending wall portions or

flanges

38 and 39. More S1361 cifically, a wall portion or flange 38 extends forward from each side edge of the back wall 28, while the wall portion or flange 39 extends downward from each side edge of the top wall; and, an arcuate or curved wall por- Patented Dec. 11, 19 52 tion or flange 4% extends along each side edge of the curved wall portion 36} between each adjacent pair of wall portions or flanges 38 and 359i Thus, on each side of the rear section 12 are provided the integral wall portions or

edge flanges

38, 39, and 40. The depending wall portion or flange 39 may terminate forwardly approximately at the front edge of the top wall 29, while the forwardly extending wall portion or flange 38 may terminate at a location spaced above the lower edge 34 of the back wall 28. More specifically, the lower edge 34 of the back wall 23, at opposite ends thereof, may extend upward along side edges 41 to the lower end of the adjacent flange 38; and, a depending ear or extension 42 is provided on the lower end of each flange 38 coplanar therewith. Viewed otherwise, the lower-end extension or car 42 of each flange 38 may be considered as separated from the adjacent lower rearward region of the back wall 23 by a notch or cutout 42.

Provided on each flange extension or ear 42, see FIG- URE 5, is an inwardly extending lug or pivot pin 43. In

the upper rearward region of each flange 38, proximate to the rear wall 28, is a slot or opening 44. The rear section 12, including the rear wall 28, top wall 29, connecting portion 30, as well as the

flanges

38, 39, and and the cars 42, are also advantageously integrally fabricated of plastic. Further, the dimensions and materials are chosen so as to afford slight resilient deflectability to the ears 42; v

Resilient pusher means may assume the form of a coil spring carried on the inner or forward side of the back wall 28 and extending forward therefrom. In particular, the spring 45 has one end coil 46 secured to the back wall 28 by snug circumposition about the tabs 31, and the remainder of the coil spring extends forward from the back wall. It will be noted that the convolutions of the coil spring 45 are of progressively increasing diameter in the forward direction, so that the spring is substantially completely collapsible to place all the convolutions in the same plane, each convolution being located within its next adjacent forward convolution. Furthermore the forwardmost convolution 47, which is the largest convolution, is preferably of a generally rectangular or square configuration similar to but slightly smaller than that of the front wall 17.

In assembling the device 10 from the condition of FIGURE 5, it is only necessary to resiliently distend the ears 42 away from each other to effect insertion of the pins 43 in respective openings 23. In this condition, the pins 43 and openings 23 combine to define pivot means hingedly connecting the front and

rear sections

11 and 12 for relative swinging movement about an axis through the lower rearward region thereof. Upon relative swinging of the sections toward their closed condition, the side walls 21 are deflected inward toward each other by cam action of the catch elements or wedges 24 riding beneath or inward of the flanges 38. Continued closing movement of the front and

rear sections

11 and 12 places the catch elements 24 in registry with respective openings or slots 44 for snap engagement therein, the condition best shown in FIGURE 4. In this condition, it is apparent that the

cooperating catch elements

24 and 44 effectively retain the front and

rear sections

11 and 12 in their closed, boxlike condition, for normal usage of the holder and dispenser 10 in the condition of FIGURES 1-3.

It will now be appreciated that a pack of napkins is disposed on edge on the bottom wall 15, with the forwardmost napkin bearing against the inner face of the front wall 17 and retained thereagainst by pressure of the resilient pusher means 45. The forwardmost napkin is thus held in alignment with the vertically opening slot defined between the upper edge of the front wall 17 and the forward edge of the top wall 29, which slot is of a length at least as great as the width of a napkin for removal of the napkin upward through the slot.

When it is desired to open the holder and dispenser 10, as for refilling with napkins, it is only necessary to manually press the side walls 21 inward toward each other, whereupon the catch elements 24 are removed from the openings 44 and the front section 11 is urged forward away from the rear section 12 by the pusher 45. A new pack of napkins may then be replaced in the front section and the latter swung into closed position against the force of pusher 45 to effect interen-gagement of the catch means 24, 44.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A household napkin holder and dispenser comprising an integral plastic front section including a bottom wall for Supporting a pack of napkins on edge, a front wall upstanding from said bottom wall for internal facing engagement with the forwardmost napkin of said pack, and side Walls upstanding from said bottom wall and extending rearward from said front wall, said side walls being manually resiliently deflectable inward toward each other; a separate integral plastic rear section including an upstanding rear wall rearward of said front and side walls, and a top wall extending forward from the upper region of said rear wall over said bottom and side walls and terminating short of said front wall; said front and rear sections combining to define a closed boxlike structure, a pair of forwardly extending plastic flanges on opposite side edges of said back wall respectively closely overlying said side walls, a pair of laterally spaced plastic ears respectively depending from said flanges each in facing relation with the lower region of a respective side wall, said ears each being slightly resiliently deflectable away from the adjacent side wall, interengaging plastic pivot means on each of said ears and the lower region of adjacent side wall and connecting said front and rear sections for swinging movement to an open position with said rear wall extending rearwardly and said top wall removed from over said bottom wall for insertion of a pack of napkins in upstanding relation on said bottom wall, each of said pivot means being disengageable upon deflection of the respective ear away from its adjacent side wall, interfitting plastic formations carried by said flanges and side walls to retain said sections closed, said formations being disengageable upon deflection of said side walls, and a resilient pusher extending forward from the inner side of said back wall to urge a pack of napkins forward for individual withdrawal between the adjacent edges of said front and top walls.

2. A household napkin holder and dispenser according to claim 1, the medial region of the upper edge of said front wall and the forward edge of said top wall being cut away to facilitate manual grasping of said napkins for withdrawal.

3. A household napkin holder and dispenser according to claim 2, said resilient pusher comprising a wire spring having one end connected to said back wall and spiraling forward therefrom with an increasing radius to a generally rectangular forward loop for bearing engagement with the rearmost napkin of said pack, said wire spring being resiliently deflectable rearward into substantially coplanar relation entirely within said forward loop, to thereby accommodate a maximum-size pack of napkins in said boxlike structure.

4. A household napkin holder and dispenser according to claim 2, said interfitting formations comprising a pair of wedge-shaped lugs on one of said flanges and side walls and each projecting toward the adjacent other of said flanges and side walls, said lugs facing forwardly and tapering rearwardly for sliding engagement with said other of said flanges and side walls, and said other of said flanges and side walls being formed with a pair of openings for respective snap reception and positive retention of said lugs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 13 Sherwood Dec. 5, 1905 Garrod May 18, 1909 Winter Feb. 1, 1916 Hoberg Mar. 21, 1916 Strietelmeier Apr. 10, 1923 Hope et a1. Jan. 23, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 8, 1918