US3233858A

US3233858A - Cup holding bracket

Info

Publication number: US3233858A
Application number: US366945A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jonas W Benjamin
Original assignee: HOLD A DRINK Inc
Current assignee: HOLD A DRINK Inc
Priority date: 1964-05-13
Filing date: 1964-05-13
Publication date: 1966-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-08

Description

1966 J. w. BENJAMIN 3,233,853

CUP HOLDING BRACKET Filed May 15, 1964 34 W F /g. 4 2a 30 7 I 68 25 @"34 E i /a 36 48 36' 44 I 7 5 3 I II] 80 Jonas M. Benjamin 7 56 INVENTOK. 48 50 /8 BY ,6 22 Mo I-nm United States Patent Ofii ce 3,233,858 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 3,233,858 CUP HOLDING BRACKET Jonas W. Benjamin, Salisbury, Md., assignor to Hold-a- Drink, Inc., a corporation of Maryland Filed May 13, 1964, Sex. No. 366,945 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-311) This invention relates to a novel and useful cup holding bracket and more specifically to a bracket which is designed for support from an upstanding supporting surface and which includes means for stationarily positioning a drinking cup or the like.

The main object of this invention is to provide a cup holding bracket which may be secured to a door of an automobile, the side of a boat or any upstanding supporting surface and utilized to removably support a drinking cup or other beverage container in an upright position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cup holding bracket constructed in a manner whereby the container supported thereby will not only be supported from the bottom thereof but will also be encircled by means of an annular portion of the cup' holding bracket above the lower end of the container whereby lateral support to the latter will be provided.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cup holding bracket in accordance with the preceding objects including a lower laterally outwardly projecting support arm for supporting the lower end of a container and an upper laterally outwardly projecting frame leg support arm for encircling an upper portion of the container to be supported.

Yet another object of this invention, in accordance with the irmnediately preceding object, is to provide means for mounting the upper and lower support arms from the support bracket for swinging movement relative thereto about generally parallel axes and in a manner enabling the support arms to be readily collapsed toward positions rotated approximately 90 from their operative positions thereby enabling them to substantially parallel the upright supporting surface from which the cup holding bracket is supported.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide .a cup holding bracket in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms in manufacture, be a simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

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

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cup holding bracket of the instant invention with the support arms thereof shown in collapsed inoperative positions;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the bracket;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane designated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the upper and lower support arms of the bracket in their extended operative positions.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral generally designates the cup holding bracket of the instant invention. The bracket 10 includes an upstanding mounting plate 12 which may be of any desirable plan shape such as elliptical as illustrated and which has a plurality of

apertures

14, 15 and 16 formed therein. A plurality of fasteners 18 are shown illustrated in FIG- URE 2 of the drawings removably supporting the cup holding bracket 19 to an upstanding supporting surface 22 in which the fasteners 18 have been threadedly engaged after being passed through the

apertures

14, 15 and 16.

A closed ended generally semi-cylindrical housing 24 is secured to the mounting plate 12 by means of

blind rivets

26 and 28, see FIG. 2, and has a pair of

slots

30 and 32 formed therein. A pivot pin 34 is secured between the opposite end walls of the housing 24 and an upper support arm generally referred to by reference numeral 36 and substantially ring like in configuration is pivotally supported from the pivot pin 34 by means of a pair of apertured laterally directed

cars

38 and 40 carried by the circumferentially spaced-apart ends of the ring-like upper support arm. In addition, it may be seen that a pair of apertured

mounting lugs

42 and 44 are struck outwardly from the front face 46 of the mounting plate 12 and that a pivot pin 48 is journalled therebetween. A lower support arm generally referred to by the reference numeral 50 is provided and includes a pair of upstanding opposite side apertured lugs 52 which embracingly receive the

apertured lugs

42 and 44 therebetween and are mounted on the pivot pin 48. Further, the support arm 50 also includes an angulated fiange 56 provided for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth. As can best be seen from FIGURE 2 of the drawings the mounting plate 12 has a pair of upper apertures 58 and 60 formed therein with which the ears 3S and 40, respectively, are registered. Further, the lower portion of the mounting plate 12 has an aperture 62 formed therein between apertured

mounting lugs

42 and 44 and with which the angulated flange 56 is registered.

A leaf spring 64 is secured to the rear face 66 of the mounting plate 12 by means of suitable rivets 68 and includes one end portion defining a pair of

spring arms

70 and 72 and a second end portion defining a single spring arm 74. Each of the

arms

70 and 72 includes a laterally directed terminal end portion 76 which projects into the corresponding opening or aperture and engages the free end of the corresponding apertured ear of the upper support arm 35 when the latter is in its operative position illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. In addition, the spring arm 74 includes a laterally offset end portion 78 which projects into the opening or aperture 62 and is engaged by the free end of the angulated flange 56 when the lower support arm 50 is in its inoperative position.

The

spring arms

70 and 72 are therefore utilized to yieldingly retain the support arm 36 in the operative position illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. In addition, as can be seen by FIGURE 3 of the drawings, the

support arms

70 and 72 also serve to yieldingly retain the upper support arm 36 in the collapsed position. Still further, the planar face 80 of the angulated flange 56 is engaged by the laterally offset terminal end portions 78 of the support arm 74 when the lower support arm Sll is in the operative position illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. Accordingly, it may be seen that the spring arm 74 may be utilized to yieldingly retain the lower support arm Si in both its operative and inoperative positions.

With attention now directed more specifically to FIG- URE l of the drawings it may be seen that the lower support arm 50, when in the retracted inoperative position, is nested within the ring-like upper support arm 36 when the latter is in its inoperative position. Further, it will noted from FIGURE 4 of the drawings that the upper support arm 36 cannot be pivoted downwardly at its free end to the fully collapsed inoperative position as long as the lower support arm 50 is in its operative position, the length of the upper support arm 36 from the pivot pin 34 being such that the outer peripheral portion of the support arm 36 wi ll contact the outer end of the lower support arm 50 should the former be swung toward its collapsed position When the latter is in its operative position. I

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: 7

An article holding bracket comprising an upstanding mounting plate adapted to be secured to an upstanding supporting surface, upper support arm means pivotally secured at one end to an upper portion of said mounting plate for rotation about a generally horizontally disposed axis generally paralleling said plate and extending transversely of said one end of said uppersupport arm means, a frame carried by the other end of said upper support arm means and disposed in a plane generally paralleling said axis and swingable between a raised generally horizontally disposed operative position and a lowered re= tracted position generally paralleling and disposed adjacent said mounting plate, lower support arm means pivotally secured at one end to a lower portion of said mounting plate for rotation about an axis generally paralleling th first mentioned axis and extending transversely of said lower -supportai'ni means, a support them her carried by the other end of said lpwer support and means and disposed in a plane generally paralleling said axis" and s'wingable between anoperative lowered gen erally horizontally disposed limit position and a raised retracted position generally paralleling and disposed adjacent said mounting plate, said frame cbmpletely reoeiving said support member therein when said frame and said lower support arm means are in their inopera= tive positions, said upper support arm means comprising a partial cylindrical band-like member defining said frarne and including generally radially outwardly projecting adjacent, parallel and spaced apart end portions, said mounting plate including a generally semi-cylindrical housing generally parallel-ing said first 'mentioned axis and opening toward and secured to one side of said mounting plate, said housing including opposite end walls disposed generally normal to the medial plane or said mounting plate, said housing having a pair of longitudinally spaced circumferentially extending slots formed therein, a pivot pin secured to and extending between said end walls, said end portions of said band-like member extending through said slots and secured to said pin at points spaced therealong, the free terminal ends or said end portions being disposed generally normalito the medial plane or said frame, said mounting P ate aving an opening ranges therein in registry witheach of said slots, elongated rear means secured intermediate its opposite ends to the other side of said mounting plate and including p6r= tioris on one end thereof generally paralleling said plate, disposed in registry with said slots and engaging the free terminal ends of said end portions, said plate having a second opening formed therein in registry with the base end of said lowersupport arrn means, the other end of said spring means including portions generally paralleling said plate and disposed said second opening, said base end of said lower suppfirt arrn ineans including a serrate disposed generally normal to the longitudinal center-line orsaid low'er support arm rneans and engaged with said other end of said spring means Rater-ewes Cites by 'th Examiner CLAUEE A. LE 1163, Primary Examiner.

Anno'rr, Examiner. R, P. sE'ITr'ER, Assistant Examiner,