US3153969A - Vertical push-button ashtray - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1964 Filed April 18, 1962 G. REUGE VERTICAL PUSH-BUTTON ASHTRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 27, 1964 G. REUGE VERTICAL PUSH-BUTTON ASHTRAY 2 Sheecs-SheerI 2 Filed April 18. 1962 United States Patent O Claims The subject of the present invention is a vertical pushbutton ashtray wherein a helicoidaliy-threaded pin is actuated by the push-button to rotate a disc-shaped lid, assembled on the end of said pin by a free wheel, inside a receptacle designed to receive the ashes, the Whole set on a base containing a spring music-box.

This ashtray is characterized in that it comprises a vertical plunger coaxial to the push-button pin and having, at the end located in the base, means cooperating with a mechanism winding the spring of the music-box.

The attached drawing shows, by way of example, four embodiments of the ashtray forming the subject of the present invention.

FIGURE 1 is a partially-sectional side elevation of the rst embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view of the second embodiment similar to that of FIG. 1.

FGURES 4 and 5 are views similar to that of FiG. 1, of the third and fourth embodiments.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of a detail of another embodiment.

The ashtray shown is of the type having a vertical pushbutton ll with a helicoidally-threaded pin 2 controlled by the push-button to rotate a disc-shaped cover 3 assembled on the end of pin 2 by a :freewheel mechanism in known manner as shown in detail in FIG. 2. Lid 3 covers a receptacle 4 designed to receive the ashes. A subjacent base 5 encloses a spring music-box generally, indicated at 6. A cylindrical casing encircles receptacle 4i and base 5.

A member iixed to the end of pin 2 of push-button i extends through disc 3 and is used to actuate a plunger 8 to wind up music-box 6 as will be described further on. This member iixed to pin 2 is made up of a tapped socket 9 screwed to the threaded end itl of pin Z and having a head 11 protruding below disc 3. This head socket is independent of disc 5 so that when the latter receives a rotation movement from pin 2 via the known freewheel mechanism, head ill remains stationary with respect to disc 3 which turns. The freewheel mechanism comprises a cam 12 cooperating with balls i3 inside a casing 14 lixed to disc 3 so as to block the balls against the inside wall of the case when said cam l2 turns in the direction which rotates the disc and to free the balls when this cam no longer turns, the disc then being free.

The lower portion of plunger 8 is equipped with a rack 15 meshing with a gearwheel i6 of the spring-winding mechanism of music-box 6. This gearwheel i6 is clamped to the barrel axis of the spring in case 17. A barrier section 18 is also attached to the spring axis and serves to limit the rotation angle of wheel 16 by butting against a pin i9. This rotation 4angle corresponds to a piece of music, i.e. to one turn of the pin drum 6 of music-box 6.

A spring blade 20 is attached to the bottom or receptacle 4 and its bent free end leans against plunger 8 to cooperate with a slot 21.

The described embodiment works as follows:

By pushing down the push-button l, the threaded pin 2 is rotated in known manner, which pin rotates by means of said freewheel mechanism the disc 3. During pushing, the plunger 8 is forced down by means of the head il of ICC socket 9, whereby substantially no friction occurs between head 11 and the end of plunger 8.

Rack 15 then rotates wheel 16 and simultaneously the barrier section i3 until an edge of this section butts against pin 19, as shown in FIG. l. By releasing pushbutton ll, lid 3 is moved back to its closed position by a retracting spring (not shown) and plunger 8 rises again as the music plays, drawn by gearwheel 16.

While moving towards the bottom of plunger 8, slot 2l passes under the end of spring 20 at a given time which causes braking. The music-box spring is not yet completely wound up to play a tune and if push-button 1 is not pressed further down, plunger 3 could be kept in this position by spring Ztl. This arrangement permits the ashtray to be used without actuating the music-box each time.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, head 11 acts on a plunger t5 whose end located in base 5 is linked to a lever winding the music-box spring by means of a link 23. By pressing push-button l of the ashtray, head 1i presses plunger it which, in going down, moves lever 22 from the straight-line position to the dotted-line position, winding up and thus releasing the music-box which plays until lever Z2 has come back in its original position.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, casing 7 has an aperture 23' through which appears a drum 24 rotatably mounted on a vertical axis and driven by means of gearing 25 from a gearwheel 26 clamped to shaft 27 of roller 6. Drum 24 may be transparent and may be decorated with pictures, ornamental designs or commercial advertisements, a source of light, for example, being inside this drum. The other members are the same as those of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, base 5 is made up of a drum surrounding receptacle i of the ashtray. There are pictures, ornamental designs or commercial advertisements on the exterior surface of this drum 5 which is assembled in a casing 29 equipped with an aperture Sii allowing thus exterior surface to be seen. Casing 29 has legs 3i and holds receptacle 4 in its upper portion, as well as the pushbutton mechanism of the ashtray. Instead of being Aassembled in a casing, the receptacle could be supported by small pillars which would permit all of the drum to be seen. The receptacle could also be supported by a transparent cylinder.

The music-box is attached to receptacle 4', inside said drum 5 the bottom of which carries a pinion 32 engaged with a gear-train driven by gearwheel 33 xed to the shaft of rollers 6. When the music-box is in operation, it rotates drum 5 by means of the above-described gears.

In the modification shown in FIG. 6, the music-box is assembled at the bottom of base 5 with the axis of roller 6 vertical. In this case, rack l5 of plunger 8 meshes with a pinion 34 fastened directly to axis 35 of the barrel.

The motor spring could also be in 6' and the barrel would not be necessary.

Instead of actuating the plunger with the aid of a member fixed to the push-button pin, independent of the disc 3, such as head il, the plunger could have at least one rotatable portion such as a ball against which the central portion of the rotatable disc would press, for example the hub of the disc or the top of case 14. The plunger could also be rotatably assembled, for example, on ball-bearings. This arrangement would have the same purpose as that described previously, i.e. to eliminate friction between the push-button and the device controlling the winding mechanism of the music-box.

What I claim is:

1. An ashtray comprising a vertical push-button, a helicoidally-threaded spindle actuated by said push-button, a disc-shaped lid mounted on said spindle through a freew'neel mechanism, a receptacle for ashes wherein said lid and said mechanism are positioned, a base upon which al1 of said elements are mounted, a spring-actuated musicbox having a Winding mechanism located in said base, and a vertical slidable plunger coaxial to said spindle, said plunger having an end extending into said base and cooperating with said Winding mechanism, said spindle being provided with a threaded end, a socket on said threaded end extending through said lid, which socket has a head engaging and actuating said plunger without friction, said plunger being provided with a slot, a leaf-spring having a free end located in said slot to hold said plunger in a predetermined position whereby said musicbox does not play.

2. An ashtray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said music box is arranged vertically in said base, parallel to said plunger.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Juillerat Dec. 28, 1886 Kent Feb. 11, 1913 Brutting Oct. 15, 1957 Botnick Nov. 19, 1957 Reuge Nov. 8, 1960 Faulkner Dec. 20, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 10, 1958 Switzerland Mar. 14, 1959 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1957

Claims (1)

1. AN ASHTRAY COMPRISING A VERTICAL PUSH-BUTTON, A HELICOIDALLY-THREADED SPINDLE ACTUATED BY SAID PUSH-BUTTON, A DISC-SHAPED LID MOUNTED ON SAID SPINDLE THROUGH A FREEWHEEL MECHANISM, A RECEPTACLE FOR ASHES WHEREIN SAID LID AND SAID MECHANISM ARE POSITIONED, A BASE UPON WHICH ALL OF SAID ELEMENTS ARE MOUNTED, A SPRING-ACTUATED MUSICBOX HAVING A WINDING MECHANISM LOCATED IN SAID BASE, AND A VERTICAL SLIDABLE PLUNGER COAXIAL TO SAID SPINDLE, SAID PLUNGER HAVING AN END EXTENDING INTO SAID BASE AND COOPERATING WITH SAID WINDING MECHANISM, SAID SPINDLE BEING PROVIDED WITH A THREADED END, A SOCKET ON SAID THREADED END EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LID, WHICH SOCKET HAS A HEAD ENGAGING AND ACTUATING SAID PLUNGER WITHOUT FRICTION, SAID PLUNGER BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT, A LEAF-SPRING HAVING A FREE END LOCATED IN SAID SLOT TO HOLD SAID PLUNGER IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION WHEREBY SAID MUSICBOX DOES NOT PLAY.

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