US3159370A

US3159370A - Vacuum bases

Info

Publication number: US3159370A
Application number: US170279A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rubinstein Joseph
Original assignee: GENERAL SLICING MACHINE CO Inc
Current assignee: GENERAL SLICING MACHINE CO Inc
Priority date: 1962-01-31
Filing date: 1962-01-31
Publication date: 1964-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-01

Description

Dec. 1, 1964 J. RUBINSTEIN 3,159,370

VACUUM BASES Filed Jan. 51, 1962 INVENTOR, 2o 28 JOSEPH RUBINSTEIN,

ATIZORNEY United States Patent Gfifice 3,593) Patented Dec. 1, 1964 3,159,370 VAQUUM BASES Joseph Rubinstein, Newhurgh, N.'1., assignor to General Slicing Machine (10., Inc, Walden, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 31, 1%2, Ser. No. 170,279

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-346) The present invention relates to a vacuum base which may serve as the base of a vise structure, a meat grinder, a vegetable cutter and shredder and other appliances which need be releasably attached onto a surface.

Like for a vacuum cup, such surface need be non-porous for the vacuum base to become attached thereto, but this vacuum base works differently. To set a vacuum cup, it is placed so its rim contacts said surface where it is to attach. Then the cup is pressed to collapse it against said surface and hence expel air from the cups interior. Finally upon release of the cup, it will expand and due to the vacuum condition thereby caused to exist within the cup, the effect of atmospheric pressure will hold the cup fast to said surface.

The vacuum base comprises essentially a separate rubber paid positioned across, closing and extending preferably a bit beyond the mouth of a dished member; the exposed surface of said pad being flat. Inside said dished member, an element extends from the central region of said pad where it is engaged by a crank, cam or the like to be turned by an exterior handle. To mount the vacuum base, it is set so that the pad contacts the surface to which it is to attach. Then the handle is turned. This causes the pad to become dished and the enclosed space thus created between said pad and surface, being a vacuum, the base is held fast to such surface.

Heretofore, vacuum bases of this class, presented various objectionable incidents, which principally were that to attain a required holding force, pad area was quite large and many a time, an edge of the pad was drawn into the dished base member to a greater extent than was the opposite edge of the pad when the device was operated to have it attach, thus causing the appliance carried by the base, to be titled to one side.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved vacuum base construction of the kind set forth, which for a given effective pad area, will have much more holding force that was heretofore possible.

Another object thereof is to provide that when the base is attached, it will always hold the appliance on it, true upright.

Another grevious fault heretofore prevlant in devices of this class, was that though detachment was difficult when forced, lateral slippage was a common experience.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved vacuum base construction, in which the force of attachment avoids lateral slippage. The vacuum base of this invention, stays put on the spot it has attached itself to.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved vacuum base of the sort described, having the attributes mentioned, and which is simple in construction, reasonable in cost, easy to manipulate and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For the practice of this invention, to get a larger vacuum space for a given pad area and hence attain a greater holding force than was heretofore accomplished with the same size of pad, a comparatively larger central part of the pad is made stifif which I prefer to do by having a metal plate imbedded therein. Attached to this plate is a lug for engagement by a crank operable by an external handle. The perimetrical lane of the pad which is in contact with the mouth rim of the dished base member, is flat. The perimeter of said mouth rim is preferably of pinched shape, that is a pair of its opposite sides are arched towards each other. This will be shown as an aid to maintain the greatest volume of the vacuum space.

T o prevent askew pad positions when the base is attached and hence maintain the appliance in true position, there are spaced ribs on the inner face of the pad, extending from said central stiff region to about said perimetral lane where the ends of said ribs engage the inner wall of the dished base member when the pad is shifted to vacuum-space-producing position. The perimeter of the pad is everywhere a bit beyond the dished base members mouth rim. Along opposite sides of the pad, there are elongated tabs, so that with such tab formations, the pad structure straddles the dished base member.

In the accompanying drawing, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum base embodying the teachings of this invention. As a matter of example, it is shown as the base of a vise.

All the following views are drawn to a slightly reduced scale in respect to that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal section of said vacuum base, shown in inactive condition.

FIG. 3 is a section taken at line 3-3 in FIG. 2, showing only the rubber pad assembly.

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 2, but here the device is set on a surface to which it has become attached; the shift to this operative condition having been done by placing the device on said surface and while pressing it downward, the handle was turned to a position whereby a vacuum space was formed in the space created between said surface and the rubber pad.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the rubber pad with elements it carries as a unitary structure.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of FIG. 5.

In the drawing, a preferred form and construction of my new vacuum base is designated generally by the numeral 15. It consists of a rubber pad indicated generally by the numeral 16, within the perimetrical confines of which is the dished member 17, with its mouth rim 18 against said pad. The exposed pad surface 16' is flat. A comparatively large central section of such pad is stiffened by a metal plate 19 embedded therein and there are a series of

ribs

20, 20, spaced around said central section inside the dished base member on said pad, extending from said section to very near the inner Wall of said dished member 17. A lug 21 extends into said dished member from the stiffening plate 19, where through a slot 21' in said lug, there is a crank 22 which is journalled interior said dished base member. This crank extends exteriorly where it terminates in a handle 23. For a practical and economical mounting, the crank has a bend at'24 and terminates in a bearing 25. This last mentioned crank shaft end is threaded to receive a stop screw 26 which is manipulated through the hole 27. The upper part of the lug 21 is a tab which slidably fits into a socket 27'.

Tabs

28, 28, integral with the pad 16, extend therefrom exterior the dished base member 17 and hug said dished member.

It is to be noted that it is the inner edge 29 of the mouth rim 18 of the dished member 17, that offers the actual perimetrical line of contact with the pad 16, when the device 15 is manipulated to change its condition from that of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 4. The pe-. r-imetral Wall of the dished member 17 is of uniform thickness and so the outer edge 2% of the mouth rim is similar to the inner perimetrical edge 29 and the same shape is for the pad 16, in the embodiment illustrated.

The high attachment power offered by this device 15, is due to the creation of as large as possible a vacuum chamber caused by the presence of the large stiff central section of the pad and the holding of the deformed pad in its fully dished shape, without leave to collapse; the latter condition being due to the presence of the opposite convex walls interior the dished member, indicated at 30, 30'. f course, the inner edge 29 of the mouth rim 18 of the dished member 17, will also have these opposite convex sections as part of its perimeter.

Imagine that the stiffening plate 19 is omitted. It becomes evident that with such construction, the volume of the vacuum chamber would be considerably less than is accomplished when the pad is stiff in a comparatively large central section thereof as herein taught. The base area and the altitude of both volumes would be the same. Without the plate 19, the shape of such vol ume would be substantially that of a pyramid, while when the plate 19 is included as herein shown, the shape of such volume is that of the frusturn of a pyramid. With the use of such stiffener 19 or other suitable manner to stiffen a comparatively large central area of the pad, the volume of the vacuum chamber is nearly twice that ohtainable when the entire pad is soft. It is to be noted that the holding power is determined by the base area and the extent to which the air has been rarefied in the volume desired to be vacuum. So in setting the device 15 onto a surface and then bringing its condition to that shown in FIG. 4 by a part turn of the handle 23, a volume of where vacuum is desired is created, but until there is good adhesion between the pad 7 will bite into the pad 16 and that along the walls 36,

3%), said pad will be formed with opposite Walls whose inner surfaces will be convex. The tendency of such convex inner walls formed in the pad, will be to straighten. Such tendency is to enlarge the volume mentioned. If insteadof being opposite inner convex walls, they were opposite inner concave walls, the tendency of concave Walls would be to straighten, but such straightening would tend for the collapse of the mentioned volume.

It is also to be noted that when the pad 116 is drawn into the dished base member 17, the entrance of an edge of said pad therein is avoided by the exterior tabs 28, 28' and because the outer ends of the ribs 2%, 25% bear against the interior perimetrical wall of the dished base member,symmetry of position of the pad with respect to the mouth rim of said dished member is attained. All .this assures that the appliance on the base will be true upright when the device 15 attaches itself onto a surface.

Such appliance may be a vise 31 or for example it may be a vegetable grater and slicer, a meat grinder or other items which need be releasably mounted onto a surface. Devices as taught herein may be used to suspend a temporary chandelier or electric fan from a ceil ing, or a lamp, sign and other items from a wall., In

to form a unitary structure, or they be part of the structure of said appliances, in the same manner as the vise 31 herein is shown to be made part integral with the dished base member 17.

It is preferred that the inner edge 29 of the mouth rim of the dished member 17 shall have rounded corners and that the outer edge 29 and the perimeter of the pad 16 shall be similar in shape to said inner perimetral edge 29.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications ivithout' departing from the essential features herein set forth. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description and showing herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum base of the character described, a dished member, a rubber pad; the entire month rim of said member contacting one surface of said pad; said rim being within the confines of said pad; the perimetrical Wall of said dished member having two opposite sides; the interior surface of'each of said sides being convex whereby the inner edges of the mouth rim are convex along said sides respectively; the other surface of said pad being normally flat and adapted to be set onto a flat surface, means stiffening a comparatively large central portion of said pad; the remainder of said pad being resilient and means movably mounted on said mem ber, engaging said central pad portion and adapted when moved in a predetermined direction, to bring said stiffened central portion of the pad into said member whereby said pad will assume dished form and further adapted when moved in a certain direction, to have the pad assume its normal condition.

2. A vacuum base as defined in claim 1, wherein the pad has opposite side edges, including tabs, one along apart of each of said edges; said tabs contacting said dished member on its exterior.

3. A vacuum base as defined in claim 1, wherein said paid has rib structure interior the dished member, comprising ribs in spaced relation around the said central portion of the pad; said ribs extending from said portion towards and up close to the perimetral wall of said dished member; said ribs contacting the interior surface of the perirnetrical wall of said dished member when the pad is made to assume dished form.

4. A vacuum base as defined in claim 3, wherein the pad has opposite side edges, including tabs, one along a part of each of said'edges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS,

1,840,400 1/32 Lebherz 248362 2,143,783 1/39 Liebman 248-206 2,908,467 10/59 Gberer 248-206 2,940,713 6/60 Van Dusen 248--206 2,965,345 12/60 Gundelfinger et al. 243-206 X FOREIGN PATENTS 435,981 10/35 7' Great Britain. 465,314 5/37 Great Britain. 850,035 9/ 6i)- Great, Britain.

1,074,237 1/60 Germany.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Primary Exuminer. FRANK ABBOTT, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A VACUUM BASE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A DISHED MEMBER, A RUBBER PAD; THE ENTIRE MOUTH RIM OF SAID MEMBER CONTACTING ONE SURFACE OF SAID PAD; SAID RIM BEING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID PAD; THE PERIMETRICAL WALL OF SAID DISHED MEMBER HAVING TWO OPPOSITE SIDES; THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID SIDES BEING CONVEX WHEREBY THE INNER EDGES OF THE MOUTH RIM ARE CONVEX ALONG SAID SIDES RESPECTIVELY; THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAID PAD BEING NORMALLY FLAT AND ADAPTED TO BE SET ONTO A FLAT SURFACE, MEANS STIFFENING A COMPARATIVELY LARGE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID PAD; THE REMAINDER OF SAID PAD BEING RESILIENT AND MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER, ENGAGING SAID CENTRAL PAD PORTION AND ADAPTED WHEN MOVED IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION, TO BRING SAID STIFFENED CENTRAL PORTION OF THE PAD INTO SAID MEMBER WHEREBY SAID PAD WILL ASSUME DISHED FORM AND FURTHER ADAPTED WHEN MOVED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION TO HAVE THE PAD ASSUME ITS NORMAL CONDITION.