US3106314A

US3106314A - Advertising napkin holder

Info

Publication number: US3106314A
Application number: US160716A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rufus P Spears
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-12-20
Filing date: 1961-12-20
Publication date: 1963-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-08

Description

mill

Oct. 8, 1963 R. P. SPEARS ADVERTISING NAPKIN HOLDER Filed Dec. 20, 1961 F ig. I /0 PAD Rufus F? Spears INVENTOR.

BY l E Anomqs 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 8, 1963 R. P. SPEARS ADVERTISING NAPKIN HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1961 Rufus I? Spears INVENTOR. BY flwaaifiw.

3,106,314 ADVERTISING NAPKIN HULDER Rufus P. Spears, 1053 3rd St., Ahilene, Tex. Filed Dec. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 169,716 3 Claims. Cl. 221-35 The present invention relates, broadly classified, to the field of advertising, and has reference, moreparticularly, to a mode of advertising which is satisfactorily and eifectively promoted with the aid of currently popular paper napkin holders and dispensers of a type which have met with widespread adoption and use.

More explicitly, the instant concept has to dowith a novel idea which invokes the use of present-day types of paper napkin holders wherein, for example, a self-standing dispenser is used. One type of holder-dispenser with which the invention is effectively usable comprises a vertically elongated substantially heavy metal frame or casing having at least one vertical side, the front side (in most instances both front and back sides) open, the same having bent-in lip-like marginal flanges to facilitate stacking and retaining folded napkins to be extracted or withdrawn one by one. Other and generally equivalent napkin holders are within the purview of the over-all concept as will be hereinafter revealed.

One embodiment of the invention pertains to a paper napkin holder such as is commonly used atop a soda fountain counter, similar lunchroom counter, or, as is usually the case, atop restaunant tables and perhaps elsewhere, and an attachment therefor. Thisattachment comprises a cup-like receptacle or receiver, the latter constituting a holder for srnfll articles, for example, a doodling pad, a pencil, reading matter carrying ads and so on.

This pad (or equivalent scratch sheets) and a pencil, lend themselves to use when nearby hands, which must be kept busy, resort to the current vogue, doodling.

A further improvement resides in a novel device which is preferably characterized by a pair of spaced parallel vertical cup-like receivers or receptacles, said receptacles being connected together by walls or webs and the webs being spaced apart and providing a practical conventionalstyle paper napkin holder and dispenser.

Whereas the invention comprehends the use of a readytoapply attachment it also, as suggested, embodies interconnected paired receivers. In fact, the receivers may be connected in such a way that the connecting walls are themselves constructed to define and provide napkin holders and dispensers. In one embodhnent the napkins may beremoved through a flanged top opening. 'In the other form, the inturned napkin retaining flanges are in the front and back walls as will be hereinafter described.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter describediand.claimed,..reference being had to the accompanying drawin s forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is .a view in perspective showing a conventionaltype napkin holder such as is currently being used on lunchroom counters and the like and also showing the novel attachment and how it is constructed and usefully attached to said napkin holder.

FIG. 2 is a perspective View showing the readily applicable and removable attachment by itself. 7

FIG. 3 isa view in perspective of a one-piece or unified napking holder constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the small article receivers or receptacles provided as integral components of the respective vertical end portions thereof. a

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of one end portion of the holder seen in FIG. 3.

3,106,314 Patented Get. 8, I963 FIG. 5 is a section on the horizontal line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective showing a third modification (compared -to FIGS. 1 and 3) wherein the article receptacles are paired.

FIG. 7 is a section on the horizontal line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

In the accompanying dnawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views, the paper napkin holder (FIG. 1) is denoted as an entity by the numeral 8. This particular holder (different from FIGS. 3 and 6) may be here described as. a conventional type inasmuch as it is so well-known and in such widespread use on lunchroom counters and the like. This holder, as usual, is made of comparatively heavy and durable metal so that it cannot be picked up and carried off and so that it will withstand rough usage. It comprises a simple rectangular frame having top and bottom walls 1'9 and 12. and vertical flat side or

end walls

14 and 16. The front and back sides are open to facilitate stacking and step-bystep withdrawal 'of conventional folded paper napkins (not shown). Insofar as the invention is concerned, it can be assumed that at least the front of the holder is open and that the napkins are held in by the lateral turned-in lips or flanges 18.

In keeping with the invention, a napkin holder is provided and the serviceability thereof is improved by the addition thereto of advertising facilities characterized by a receiver for an insertable and removable doodling pad, for instance, the pad seen at the left in FIG. 1. This pad (or loose sheets or leaves, if preferred) is not in itself [unusual but should, in actual practice, carry an advertiseas desired. Each receiver or receptacle is preferably semicircular in cross-section and has a curved front wall 24 and side walls 26 connected by a flat inner wall 28. The bottom wall is denoted at 30 and the upper edges of the

walls

24 and 26 are suitably cut-away and shaped as at 32 to provide a conveniently open mouth portion. The low-lying intermediate part 34 of the mouth has an extension Whiohis bent at 36 and then directed-downwardly .at 37 as shown best in FIG. 2. to provide a clip. This clip serves to hold an adveptisin g insert or card 33 within the receptacle and the card may be examined through the transparent Walls. The linearly straight flanges 40 define a space between'themselves and confine and conveniently hold the ends of. the'card. The attaching hooks 42 serve to mount and hold the attachment in the usable position shown in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.

3, 4 and '5 and with particular reference to FIG. 3 it will be evident that instead of providing an attachment as at 22 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the article holding means may be built in a manner to constitute a part of the napkin holder. Or, .contrawis'e, the invention may be said to take the form of a napkin holding and dispensing device having small article receivers preferably at the respective vertical ends thereof. The device as a unit is designated in FIG. 3 by the numeral 44 and comprises spaced parallel front and rear walls 46 (FIG. 5), transverse vertical end walls 48 which are flat and which constitute components of the small article receivers in the manner shown. The bottom wall is denoted at 50 and these five walls define a container 52 for the napkins 54 which as shown in FIG. 4 are pressed upwardly in readiness for dispensing by way of a follower plate 56 slidably mounted in the receptacle portion 52 and acted on by the self-expanding spring means 53. The top of the container here may be open except for the marginal turnedin lateral flanges 60 which hold the napkins in place much in the manner as do the flanges 18 in FIG. 1. The two end-attached receivers are the same in construction and each is denoted by the numeral 62. Each receiver has a bottom wall 64 at right angles to the wall 48 with the wall 48 provided with flanges 66 holding .the end portions of the insertable and removable advertising card 68 in place. The card is fitted against the curved or arcuate wall 70 which has a sight opening or window 72 therein to show the ad on the card. Here again, the mouth portion of the curvate wall is shaped as at 74 and has a down-bent card retaining clip 76.

The combination napkin holder and small article receivers illustrated in the modification of FIGS. 6 and 7 is denoted as an entity by the numeral 78. This is a one-piece construction and comprises flat top and bottom walls 80' and 82 (see FIG. 7) and transverse vertical end walls 84 having outstanding spaced parallel flanges 86. These walls in conjunction with the front and back walls provide a holder and dispenser for the stacks A and 13 (FIG. 7) of paper napkins. Here the individual napkins are pressed out by spaced parallel enclosed follower plates 83 acted on by a spring 90 which is interposed between. The napkins are held against displacement by the turned-in lateral marginal flanges 92. Here again each small article holder is at the end and these anticle holders are designated by the numeral 94- and each comprises a curvate wall 96 joined to the end portions of the adjacent companion wall 84, having a window or sight opening 98 to show the ad on the card 100 which is placed in the receptacle or pocket portion with its ends held by the flanges 86 and its upper edge held by the retaining clip 102 on the curvate mouth portion 104 of the curved wall 96.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification and claims in conjunction with the views of the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding of the subject matter and the features and advantages and mode of use. Therefore, a more extended description is believed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. *For use in conjunction with a paper napkin holder and dispenser having at least one flat wall, an article receiving open top receptacle, said receptacle having a flat back wall, a front wall, and a pair of side walls interconnecting said front and back walls, said side walls each extending rearwardly of said back wall and terminating in means for enabling an attachment of the receptacle to the napkin holder with the rear face of the receptacle back wall engaged against said flat napkin holder wall, and a card retaining lip secured to the upper edge of the front wall and projecting into the receptacle, said retaining lip being spaced from the inner surface of the front wall a distance so as to enable the retentive reception of the upper edge of a card therebetween, at least a portion of said front wall being formed so as to solely allow for a viewing of the card therethrough.

2. The structure of claim 1 including a pair of flanges secured to the back wall and extending into the receptacle, one flange being positioned parallel to and inwardly of each side wall a distance so as to retentively receive the side edges of a card.

3. For use as a combination napkin holder and dispenser, and small article receiver, an elongated generally rectangular hollow container including flat parallel side walls, flat parallel top and bottom walls, convex end walls, partitions extending transversely between said side walls at approximately the juncture of the side walls with the convex end walls so as to divide the container into an enlarged napkin receiving center section and two smaller end article receiving receptacles, the top wall only extending over the napkin receiving center section, said article receiving receptacles having open upper ends, a card retaining lip secured to the upper edge of each convex end wall at approximately the center thereof and projecting into the adjacent receptacle, said retaining lips being positioned relative to the inner surfaces of the end walls so as to enable the retentive reception of the upper edge of cards therebetween, at least a portion of said end walls being formed so as to solely allow for a viewing of the card therethrough, and a pair of flanges secured to each partition and projecting into the adjoining receptacle, one flange being positioned generally parallel to and inwardly of each side wall a distance so as to retentively receive the side edges of a card, a portion of one of the walls surrounding the napkin receiving center section being open for enabling the introduction and removal of napkins therethrough, said open pontion being surrounded by inwardly directed napkin retaining flanges.

Refercnces Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,468 Weaver Dec. 5, 1911 1,697,654 Jantzen Jan. 1, 1929 1,719,690 Coons July 2, 1929 1,726,813 Endtcr Sept. 3, 1929 2,080,023 Zakos May 11, 1937 2,083,464 Mayer June 8, 1937 2,174,613 Blaschke Oct. 3, 1939 2,274,866 Martens Mar. 3, 1942 2,592,255 Drees Apr. 8, 1952 2,704,627 Brulin et al Mar. 22, 1955 2,771,979 Lenhart Nov. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 815,829 Germany Oct. 4, 1951

Claims

1. FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PAPER NAPKIN HOLDER AND DISPENSER HAVING A LEAST ONE FLAT WALL, AN ARTICLE RECEIVING OPEN TOP RECEPTACLE, AND RECEPTACLE HAVING A FLAT BACK WALL, A FRONT WALL, AND A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRONT AND BACK WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS EACH EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF SAID BACK WALL AND TERMINATING IN MEANS FOR ENABLING AN ATTACHMENT OF THE RECEPTACLE TO THE NAPKIN HOLDER WITH THE REAR FACE OF THE RECEPTACLE BACK WALL ENGAGED AGAINST SAID FLAT NAPKIN HOLDER WALL, AND A CARD RETAINING LIP SECURED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF THE FRONT WALL AND PROJECTING INTO THE RECEPTACLE, SAID RETAINING LIP BEING SPACED FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF THE FRONT WALL A DISTANCE SO AS TO ENABLE THE RETENTIVE RECEPTION OF THE UPPER EDGE OF A CARD THEREBETWEEN, AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID FRONT WALL BEING FORMED SO AS TO SOLELY ALLOW FOR A VIEWING OF THE CARD THERETHROUGH.