US3161394A - Coaster - Google Patents

Description

ec. 1964 @.SAVITT 3,161,394

coAsTER Filed Aug.r 3, 1962 27 au 24 36 a o 1 2v i f a a Du, *-I A I g u llI I i nl I x 1 INVENTOR GEORGE SAVITT ATTORNEYS;

United States Patent lO 3,161,394 QASTER George Savitt, New York, NY. (1713' Grand Ave., Bronx, NX.) Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,750 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 24h-346.1)

This invention relates to coasters.

At large gatherings where cold drinks are consumed by the guests, there is often a problem for each individual to prevent the accidental exchange of hisglass with the glass of anotherguest. It is common at such gatherings for a personvto put down his glass periodically and during such time it maybecome rn'med with other glasses similarly placed. Hence, when it is desired to consume more beverage from the glass, Ythe guest may well pick up the wrong glass. mixing of glasses, there is also the possibility of the mixing of beverages themselves which can have an undesirable effect.

To overcome these undesirable possibilities, in accordance with the present invention I provide a coaster having Va peripheral side wall surrounding the glass, which side wall has mounted thereon means for releasably holding indicia to identify the user of the glass held by the coaster. In this Way the possibility of the switching of drinks is substantially obviated. f

One object of the present invention is the'provision of a coaster having means for releasably holding indicia thereon. Y

Another object of the present inventionis the provision of a coaster having means for slidably releasably receiving indicia.

A further object of the present invention is the provisipn of a coaster having a peripheral side wall on which is mounted means for slidably releasably receiving indicia for identifying the person using the glass associated with the coaster.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a coaster having a resilient side wall adapted to resiliently engage a glass or other beverage container which side wall is provided with means for releasably holding indicia thereon.

The above and other objects, characteristics and features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the Yfollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coaster embodying the present invention; and l FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the coaster Vembodying the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral It). The coaster includes a disc-like base 12 to which is secured as by adhesive or the like an upstanding hollow cylindrical side wall 14 delining therewithin a container receiving space 16. Preferably the wall 14 is made of an elastic or resilient material such as, for example, rubber, resilient plastic, foam plastic or, preferably, foam rubber. The spaceA 16 deined by the resilient wall 14 in its unstressed condition is slightly smaller than the diameter of the glass which the coaster is adapted to receive. This glass is shown in phantom in FIG. 1 and has been given the reference character 18. Accordingly, when the glass 1S is disposed within the space 16, it will slightly stretch the resilient` side wall 14 and cause the side wall 14 to cling to the glass 18 whereby to hold the two together as a unit and prevent inadvertent detachmentV of the two.

Disposed on the outer surface 20 of the side wall 14 is Aside from the unsanitary naturel of such llm Patented Dec. 15, 1964:

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means 22 for releasably holding a` sheet of paper or the like 24 in close association with the side wall 14. On the paper may be written some form of identifying indicia such as the name of the user of the glass whereby to identify whose glass is contained by the coaster.

Specically and as shown in the drawing, the releasable holding'means 22 consists of two angle members 26 and 28 secured to the wall in any suitable fashion as by adhesive, with their flanges Btl and 32 directed toward one another and in spaced relation with the surface 20 of the peripheral side wall 14. The angle vmembers 26 and 28 may be integral L-shaped members. However, as shown,v each is actually made up of two strips of relatively rigid material of equal height but of different width with the narrower of the two, here designated by the reference character 27, in direct engagement with the surface 20 of the side wall 14 and the wider of the two, designated by the reference character 29, overlying the strip 27 with the excess of width extending inwardly to define the L-shaped member. Other ways of constructing these L-shaped or angle members 25 and 2S will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art. Thus, there are two spaced apart slots 34 and 36 which are adapted to receive -of a number of means may be provided. For instance,

the flanges 30 and 32 may themselves be inturned or separatepieces underlying the angle members 26 and 28 mayV be provided. As shown herein, I prefer to provide a single piece 38 which extends from the outer edge of the angle member 26 to the outer edge of the angle member 2S and underlies both the angle members and the space in between whereby to provide a shelf or abutment 4t) on which the paper 24 may rest. p

In use at a party or similar gathering when a guest is given a drink, the drink will be placed in a container 13 which is resiliently connected to a coaster 10 of the type described. The guest will also be given a sheet of paper 24 (which may be torn from a pad of properly proportioned sheets) on which he may write his name or other identifying mark. After writing his name on the sheet 24, he will slide the sheet downwardly intorthe slots 34 and 36 defined by the angle members 26Y and'28 on the one hand and the surface 20 of the wall 14 on the other until the bottom edge of the sheet 24 engages the abutment 41B defined by the .underlying piece 38. In such a position the sheet will not fall out and will have to be positively removed. Thus, throughout the party or gathv ering the user of the glass 18 will be clearly identified.

At the conclusion of the party when the glass is no longer used, it may be detached from the coaster 10 and the indicia sheet 24 may be removed whereby to condition the coaster for reusal at a future time.

By ciearly marking each glass as the glass of a particular guest, each guest will be able to' hold and identify his own glass throughout an entire gathering or party.

This will obviate the necessity of washing several glasses per evening per guest, which is so often required when a guests glass becomes mixed in with other unidentifiable glasses as is presently the case. In the event that the partyis informal and, accordingly, the host or hostess washes the glasses, the elimination of the need for washing several glasses per guest during the course of an evening will free the host and hostess and permit them to spend more time with their guests and less time in the kitchen.

While the present invention linds its greatest utility in combination with a coaster having a resilient peripheral a side wall, it will also have great utility in combination with coasters having non-resilient or rigid side walls, as generally speaking, a user of a glass at a gathering commonly carries the coaster and glass as a combination even though they are not held togetherias by the resilient forces available in the coaster 10 described above.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred form of the present invention and have suggested modifications therein, it will be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A coaster comprising a bottom and an upstanding annular side wall defining a space adapted to receive at least a portion of a liquid holding vessel, and means on the outer surface of said side wall for releasably holding indicia, said indicia holding means including a pair of spaced apart members operatively connected to said side wall, each of said members having an L-shaped cross section with one leg extending radially outward from said side wall and the other leg extending toward the other of said members in spaced relation with said side wall, and abutment means underlying said members.

2. A coaster as defined in claim 1 wherein said side wall is made of resilient material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 48,996 Percival July 25, 1865 1,917,953 Davis July 11, 1933 1,952,937 Pilato Mar. 27, 1934 1,957,263 Gray May 1, 1934 2,672,250 Haslett Mar. 16, 1954

Claims (1)

1. A COASTER COMPRISING A BOTTOM AND AN UPSTANDING ANNULAR SIDE WALL DEFINING A SPACE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AT LEAST A PORTION OF A LIQUID HOLDING VESSEL, AND MEANS ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SIDE WALL FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING INDICIA, SAID INDICIA HOLDING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART MEMBERS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE WALL, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING AN L-SHAPED CROSS SECTION WITH ONE LEG EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID SIDE WALL AND THE OTHER LEG EXTENDING TOWARD THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS IN SPACED RELATION WITH SAID SIDE WALL, AND ABUTMENT MEANS UNDERLYING SAID MEMBERS.

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