US3082901A - Ash tray with disposable receiver - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1963 G. NAKAGAWA 3,082,901

ASH TRAY WITH DISPOSABLE RECEIVER Filed Nov. 20. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

BY George Mkagawa k @wmw March 26, 1963 G. NAKAGAWA 3,082,901

ASH TRAY WITH DISPOSABLE RECEIVER Filed Nov. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent G? 3,082,901 ASH TRAY WITH DISPOSABLE RECEIVER George Nakagawa, R0. Box 289, Modesto, Calif. Filed Nov. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 153,336

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-47) This invention relates in general to an improved ash tray for the reception of cigarette ashes and butts.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel ash tray which includes a readily removable, disposable or throw-away receiving carton whereby to permit of emptying of the ash tray in a convenient manner and without likelihood of spilling the ashes and butts therefrom.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide an ash tray which comprises, in novel combination, an upstanding container having a removable lid thereon, and an empty standard milk carton removably disposed in the container; the usual hinged closure on the top of the carton being turned back under the lid to expose the top opening in said carton, and the lid being funnel-like, with a tubular neck depending through said opening whereby ashes and butts may deliver from the lid through such neck and into said carton. In this manner standard milk cartons, when empty, can serve a further useful purpose rather than being discarded.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an ash tray wherein the container and its lid is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safe, practical, and reliable ash tray, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ash tray.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified type of the ash tray.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the ash tray shown in FIG. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, and at present to FIGS. 1-3 inclusive, the ash tray comprises an upstanding rectangular container, indicated generally at 1; such container-which is initially open at the top being provided with a removable lid, indicated generally at 2.

The upstanding rectangular container 1 includes sides 3 and a bottom 4; there being an enlarged rectangular collar 5 formed integral with the container 1 at its upper end.

The container 1 is dimensioned to receive an empty standard milk carton 6 therein in symmetrical relation to the sides 3, with the carton resting on the bottom 4. The term milk carton as used herein is deemed to mean those cartons used for fluid dairy products, such as milk or cream, and the container 1 is of a height to receive a given size of such a carton, with the top 7 of the latter disposed a distance below the upper end of said container.

The removable lid 2 includes a horizontal rectangular rim 8 which rests on the upper end of the container 1; the rim 8 having an integral depending rectangular flange 9 which frictionally engages about the collar 5 when the lid 2 is in place.

The lid 2 is formed with a funnel-shaped bottom 10 l. 3,082,901 3* Patented Mar. 26, 1963 having an olfset depending tubular neck 11; said bottom 10 being integral with the rim 8 at its inner and lower corners and which are disposed laterally inwardly of the upper end of the container 1.

With the standard milk carton 6 disposed symmetrically in the container 1, the offset depending tubular neck 11 alines with and extends downwardly through the pouring opening 12 in the top 7 of said carton. Such pouring opening 12 is conventionally oifset in the carton top 7 hence the necessity of correspondingly offsetting the tubular neck 11.

The hinged plug-flap type closure 13 on the top 7 of carton 6 is turned back to an open position beneath the funnel-shaped bottom 10 of lid 2 when the ash tray is in use with the carton 6 therein. See FIG. 3.

The rectangular rim 8 of the lid 2 is formed with a plurality of notches 14 which provide cigarette rests at the top of the ash tray.

When the ash tray is in use, with a carton 6 therein, a quantity of water 15 is carried in the bottom portion of such carton; this to assure that cigarette ashes or butts received by the funnel-shaped bottom 10 of the lid 2, and thence delivered through neck 11 and into the carton 6, will beimmediately extinguished.

When it is desired to empty the ash tray the lid 2 is removed; the plug flap type closure '13 is then swung to a position closing the opening 12; and thereafter the closed carton 6 is removed from container 1 and thrown away. This is accomplished easily and without likelihood of the contents of the carton being spilled.

Another but empty carton 6 is then replaced in the container 1, with the closure 13 turned back to expose the opening 12, and thereafter the lid 2 is replaced, with the tubular neck 11 projecting through said opening.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the general assembly of the ash tray remains the same, including an upstanding container 16 and a removable lid 17.

Here, however, the container 16 is of cylindrical form and includes a bottom 18. At its upper end portion the the cylindrical container 16 is upwardly and outwardly rounded, or flared, as at 19, and which flared portion terminates in an annular horizontal lip 20.

The lid 17, which is circular in plan, is funnel-shaped and wherein the funnel 21 includes a central depending tubular neck 22.

The circular lid 17 rests adjacent its periphery on the annular horizontal lip 20, and at the periphery said lid includes a depending annular flange 23 which surrounds the dip 20 in frictional engagement therewith.

The lid 17 is formed, on top thereof, with a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches 24, each of which forms a cigarette rest.

In this embodiment, as before, a milk carton 25of a given size is disposed in the container 16 and rests on the bottom 18 thereof; such container 16 being of a height to extend some distance above the top 26 of such carton. Additionally, the container 16 is of an inside di ameter such that the milk carton 25 can be laterally offset in such container sufficient for the central depending tubular neck 22 of lid 17 to project downwardly through the pouring opening 27 which is offset in the carton top 26.

The hinged plug-flap type closure 28 on the carton top 26 is turned back and occupies a position below the funnel 21 of lid 17. See FIG. 5.

The embodiment of the invention-as in FIGS. 4 and 5, as described aboveis used in the same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 inclusivehence a description of such use need not here be repeated.

It may be observed, however, that in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 the ash tray has a more symmetrical appearance, particularly by reason of the central disposition of the tubular neck 22 of the funnel 21; the funnel thus being of uniform radius throughout. Also, by reason of the flared portion 19 on the container 16, the lid 17-and consequently the funnel 21-can be of greater, and thus more effective, diameter withoutincreasing the diameter of said container beyond the extent required to receive the milk carton 25 in a laterally offset position relative to the neck 22. V -'In both of the described embodiments of the invention the container 1 or 16 and the lid 2 or 17 are manufactured preferably by molding of fireproof material, such as metal, ceramic, or heat-resistant plastic.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such an article of manufacture as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the article of manufacture, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thUlS described the invention the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

The combination with a disposable milk carton of rectangular form having a top provided with a laterally offset relatively large opening, of an ash tray comprising a container having side walls and a bottom and on which bottom the carton is supported in clearance but non-turning relation to the side walls, the container being taller than the carton, a funnel shaped lid removably and nonturnably seated on the container and depending into the same and terminating above and relatively close to the top of the carton, and a laterally olfset straight sided neck depending from the lowest point of the lid and projecting through the carton opening and into the carton, the side of the neck being materially smaller than that of said opening.

7 References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,

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