US3018913A - Coaster - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1962 J. H. I UND COASTER Filed Feb. 23, 1960 JNVENToR. JACK H. LUND.

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lS-Pi/S- United States Patent() Ill.

This invention relates to a coaster.

More particularly this invention relates to a coaster which is particularly designed and constructed to eliminate the formation of moisture of condensation on atable, or like supporting surface, which commonly forms when a drinking glass containing an iced drink is rested upon coasters which have been used heretofore.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved coaster which e1imi'nates`the formation of moisture of condensation between the bottom surface of the coaster and a supporting surface, such as a table, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to construct the new coaster in such a manner that it effectively breaks any seal or cohesive union between the body of the coaster and a d-rinking glass arranged thereon so that if moisture or water of condensation accumulates in the body of the coaster around the bottom portion of the drinking glass, the coaster will not be raised or lifted with the drinking glass when the latter is lifted.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel coaster which is neat and attractive in appearance and inexpensive in design and construction.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coaster embodying the invention and showing a drinking glass rested thereon;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the new coaster;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4 4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the manner in which the new coaster may be nested or stacked in a group of the same.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings, wherein it is generally indi cated at 10, and includes a generallycylindrical body 11 which may be made of any suitable light metal, such as aluminum, or glass, or resinous plastic, or other materials, and which includes a bottom Wall 12, and an upright side wall 13 surrounding the bottom wall 12. The side wall 13 has an outwardly ilared flanged 4upper end portion 14, for a purpose which will be described presently.

A resilient spring member in the form of a relatively soft flat spiral helical coil spring 15 is mounted in the body 11 of the coaster 10, Within the side wall 13, and with its bottom `convolution resting on the bottom Wall 12 of the coaster and with its upper convolution normally disposed approximately level with the outwardly flared flanged portion 14 of the side wall 13, when the coil spring 15 is in an expanded position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.

However, when a drinking glass 16, containing an iced drink is deposited within the side wall 13 of the body 11 of the coaster 12, on the top of the spiral helical coil spring 15, the weight of the drinking glass 16 andthe iced drink therein will compress the coil spring 15 into the flattened compressed condition in which it is shown in FIG. 5.

Accordingly, when the coil spring 15 is compressed into the condition in which it is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing, it provides an air space 17 between the bottom wall 12 of the coaster body 11 and the bottom wall of the drinking glass 16` and thus keeps the bottomwall of the drinking glass 16 out of contact with the bottom wal-1 12 ice the coaster body 11 or upon a table o`r like supportingf( surface therebelow.

The new coaster 10 may be nested or stacked in a group of the same, asrshown in PIG. 6, with the bottom wall portion of each coaster 10 arranged within the outwardly flared ilangey portion 14 of the side wall 13 of the next succeeding coaster therebelow.

It has been found in the use of the new coaster that the spiral helical coil spring 15 effectively breaks the seal or cohesive union between the body 11of the coaster 10 and the lower portion of the drinking glass 16 arranged therein' if and when water of condensationforms on the lower end portion of the drinking glass 16 and accumulates in the body 11 of the coaster 10, sothat if and when this occurs, and the drinking glass 16 is lifted, the coaster 10 will not be raised or lifted with the drinking glass 16 as would tend to occur if it were not for the spiral helical coil spring 15 embodied in the new coaster 10. Moreover, it has been found that the spiral helical,

form of the coil spring 1S is desirable in performing this seal breaking function and that if the spring were merely spiral in shape, and not of spiral helicalV shape,

the seal breaking function of the coil spring 15 is not accomplished to the same extent as is accomplished in the use of the spiral helical coil spring.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, that the present invention provides a new and improved form of coaster having the desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a nest of coasters stacked one` upon another and each comprising a generally cylindrical body including a bottom wall and an upright side wall having an open upper end, a resilient spiral helical coil spring including a lower portion of substantially the sarnediamcter as the said generally cylindrical body and including an upper end portion substantially smaller in diameter than the said lower portion and normally disposed approximately in the same plane as the open upper end of the corresponding one of said coasters but adapted to be compressed by the weight of a drink container Arested thereon into a flattened condition and when so compressed providing an air space between the bottom convolution of theV said spiral helical coil spring and the bottom wallof the said coaster body, the said body of each of said coasters having an outwardly flared flanged portion formed in the upper end portion of the side wall thereof, and the bottom portion of the next succeeding coaster thereabove being arranged Within the said outwardly flared anged portion and resting upon the upper end portion of the said spiral helical coil spring in the next succeeding coaster therebelow.

References Cited in the file of this patent lUNITED STATES -PATENTS

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