Composite Service Plate

Abstract

A composite type service plate affording a wide range of ornamental and aesthetic effects by providing a rim member molded or cast from one type of material such as metal, and provided with a central seat to receive a single or composite inset member preferably made from a different or contrasting type of material, such as ceramic, the inset being firmly connected to the seat for permanent union therewith and designed to permit stacking without contacting the inset members.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 38,955, filed May 20, 1970 and now abandoned.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Service plates usually are of a decorative and sometimes guite fragile nature. The are used commonly in hotels and the better class of restaurants as an ornamental and decorative item for the dining table. Sometimes the first course, such as juice or a cup of soup is placed upon the service plate incident to serving it but the service plate is then removed prior to serving the main course on a different type of plate. Such service plates are sometimes referred to in the food serving industry as a sitdown plate, show plate, or lay plate. The present invention pertains to this type of plate, regardless of the name which may be applied to it. SUch plate is not intended for the serving of food directly thereon, although the serving of at least certain types of food thereon is possible. Normally, however, food is not placed directly upon said service plate and, instead, conventional luncheon and dinner plates are used for such purposes.

At present, decorative and ornamental service plates normally are made from a single type of material such as china or glass. Highly ornamental types of designs are used which are frequently applied by hand, including hand-painted scenes or still life pictures, which are fired onto the china or glass. Artistic designs formed from gold or other precious metals sometimes are used to further embellish the design. Thus, under most circumstances, conventional service plates, and especially those which are formed from fine china and elaborate decorations, are relatively expensive. Further, they are subject to breakage during conventional use and especially in washing operations, unless special care is exercised.

Composite types of serving dishes and similar articles are available, but these primarily are of a utilitarian nature, as distinguished from being especially decorative. For example, platters upon which roasted meat is served are used at present, in which, in particular, a shallow glass liner is disposed within a metal base platter, the latter frequently being provided with a well adjacent one end into which essence may drain. Such glass liner also is readily removable for washing purposes and there is no intention or suggestion of any kind that such glass liner may be connected permanently in any way to the metal platter.

In regard to the foregoing, relatively old U.S. Pat. No. 924,849, in the name of Smith, discloses a metal base plate in the nature of a platter into the base of which an earthenware member is fitted. However, said member has a rim or ring which projects above the adjacent surface of the base plate for purposes of facilitating the removal of the earthenware member, especially for washing purposes. Further, there is no suggestion or illustration of the structure being either unitary or affording any aesthetic properties. Rather, the entire structure solely is utilitarian.

Various types of casseroles also are known in which a supporting metal frame, which is adapted to be disposed upon a table surface, supports a heat-resistant glass or earthenware dish or bowl in which hot food is baked and served. As in regard to the aforementioned platter however, structures of this type are not connected so as to be unitary and the glass or earthenware dish or bowl is readily removable from the supporting metal rim for washing purposes.

One prior attempt to provide a composite dish is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 222,594, dated Dec. 16, 1879, to Marra. A glass or ceramic rim is provided with a central opening having a downwardly and outwardly flared wall receiving a glass disc provided with a complementary edge cemented to the wall of the rim. A picture is disposed against the lower surface of the glass disc and is backed up on the bottom of the dish with a layer or coating of plaster-of-paris which extends across the entire lowermost area of the plate upon which it rests. This plate has no suggestion of an underlying type of seat for the glass disc inset and washing of the same without damaging the bottom structure is doubtful. The downwardly and outwardly flared recess for the glass inset also is not conducive to the inset supporting an object placed upon it such as is required of a service plate.

Another attempt to provide a decorative tray is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,658, dated Sept. 21,1926, to Weil. It discloses two pieces of glass between which a sheet of ornamental nature is sandwiched, to form a laminate set into a metal rim at a level substantially below the upper surface of the rim and secured by a locking bezel wire. The arrangement is not moisture-proof and, therefore, it is not suited for use as a service plate which requires washing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the principal purpose and object of the present invention to provide a new approach to the art of making ornamental and aesthetic service plates which preferably are of a composite nature in which different portions respectively are made from different materials but are designed and selected to complement and supplement each other with respect to providing an overall highly aesthetic composite plate which is unitary and durable in view of the basic structure which is substantially sanitary and may be readily subjected to at least limited washing so as to satisfy sanitary and housekeeping requirements.

It is another object of the invention to form different parts of a composite service plate from a relatively wide range of materials including metals of different kinds, ceramic materials, glass, marble, wood and synthetic resins or plastics, said various parts of the composite plate being cast, molded, or otherwise formed from said materials and the same, structurally, also include means by which seats of different types are formed in durable parts for the reception of certain individual components which may be of a more fragile nature, said components being securely affixed to each other by durable cement and similar material, and in addition, sealing means of durable material is inserted permanently between adjacent surfaces of the interfitted components of the composite plate, especially to protect the cement which permanently secures the components together.

It is a further object of the invention, in particular, to provide a combination service plate, formed from a molded or cast metallic rim member, which may have an integral bottom or a central opening provided with an annular base surface, but in either event, having a seat extending around at least the central portion of the rim member to receive an inset which is permanently connected to said seat, said inset also, if desired, being either unitary or of a composite nature and disposed within said seat and dimensioned so that the upper surface of the inset is slightly below the level of the portion of the rim member immediately adjacent said seat so as to appear to be in the same plane thereof but permitting the stacking of a plurality of such plates without contacting such insets due to the bottoms of the plates having an annular base surface which is positioned so as to engage the upper surface of the rim of the lower plate which is adjacent but slightly higher than said inset.

It is still another object of the invention to form certain types of embossed or intaglio designs upon desired components of such composite service plate by means of forming patterns for the casting or molding of certain of said components, said patterns being formed, for example, by the process comprising the subject matter of prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,541 which constitutes a relatively inexpensive way of forming desired ornamental designs and configurations, names,mottoes, and the like within molds for the reproduction of said designs, etc., upon the cast or molded products.

One further object of the invention is to provide a composite service plate in which the various components respectively may be made in a wide range of different designs, materials, and colors, and an inventory thereof, in unassembled condition may be maintained so that a customer may select from such inventory any combination he desires, following which an order of the selected combinations quickly may be fabricated in final condition by cementing the components together to complete the production thereof.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary design of composite service plate made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation as seen on the line 2--2 of FIG. 2 and illustrating, in exploded manner, an exemplary arrangement of the various components which comprise the composite service plate shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the various components disposed in operative position with respect to each other.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of approximately half the composite plate shown in the preceding figures and illustrating, in phantom, the manner in which a second plate of similar size may be stacked upon the lower plate while effecting contact only between the base rim of the upper plate and a small portion of the rim member of the lower plate and thereby protect the inset of the lower plate from contact by the upper plate.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing another embodiment of rim member in which the bottom is continuous and extends entirely beneath the inset member which is connected within a seat or recess in the rim member.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing, fragmentarily, two plates of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 in stacked relationship.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a detail of the embodiment of plate shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, on a larger scale than in said figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 - 3, it will be seen that the exemplary composite service plate 10 illustrated therein comprises one embodiment of the invention which includes a rim member 12, an intermediate inset member 14, and a central inset member 16. If desired, the central inset member 16 may be omitted and only a single inset member may be utilized. These various components of the composite service plate may be formed selectively from such materials as ferrous and non-ferrous metal, ceramics of various kinds, synthetic resins or plastics, marble, and glass, as well as any other suitable material which may be employed to produce a harmonious, aesthetic, and highly decorative type of composite service plate which, in many possible arrangements, is quite different from conventional china and glass service plates yet nevertheless is possessed of equal, if not greater beauty, than such conventional china and glass service plates.

Especially considering certain atmospheres in which said composite type of service plates may be used, the same may be used more harmoniously than conventional china and glass service plates, such as in steak and chop houses, combination bars and restaurants, and otherwise. An unlimited variety of colors may be employed in the various components of the composite plate and additional types of decorations such as crests, names and mottoes, as well as embossed and intaglio type 3-dimensional designs may be formed upon one or more of said components.

The present invention lends itself particularly to having certain ornamental configurations, crests, designs, names, mottoes, and the like formed thereon by casting or molding said components in molds formed by patterns which may be forned, for example, by the process comprising the subject matter of prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,541. Said process enables a manufacturer of either metal, glass, or synthetic resin items in particular to be formed from suitable material by said aforementioned process. Especially for durability, it is preferred that the rim 12 be formed from metal or synthetic resin, by casting or molding.

To permit the various components readily to be connected together, it will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 that the embodiment of rim member 12 shown therein is provided with an exemplary central opening 18 and, adjacent the periphery of said opening, an annular seat 20 is formed within which the perimeter 22 of the intermediate inset member 14 is positioned, there preferably being limited clearance between the perimeter of said inset member 14 and the substantially cylindrical axially extending wall of seat 20.

In accordance with an important feature of the inventions, the thickness of the inset member 14 is slightly less than the axia dimension of the cylindrical wall of seat 20. The difference in dimension may be of as little as a few thousandths of an inch, but, preferably the difference is small so that the upper surface of inset 14 appears to be co-planar with the upper surface of rim 12 which is immediately adjacent central opening 18 for both appearance and sanitary purposes. Further, the intermediate inset member 14 is shown, alternatively, as being provided with a shallow central additional seat 24 and the thickness of the central inset member 16 also is slightly less than the depth of the seat 20 which actually is a shallow cavity complementary in shape to the plan view of central inset member 16. The periphery of central inset member 16 preferably is slightly spaced from the periphery of the seat 24 for purposes now to be described.

As indicated above, the various components comprising the members 12, 14 and 16, for example, may be formed from any suitable material of the various class of materials set forth above, and including such additional commercial laminates as "Formica," or wood. Assuming especially for exemplary, illustrative purposes and without restriction thereto, that the rim member 12 is cast from appropriate metal, such as one widely used by the applicants in forming various types of dishes and vessels for serving food and beverges which is an alloy largely consisting of aluminum and resembling pewter in appearance, the intermediate and central inset members 14 and 16 may be formed from ceramic material, glass, plastics or synthetic resins, synthetic laminate material, wood and the like to contrast with metal. By way of further example, the intermediate inset member 14 may be glazed if of a ceramic nature but tinted to be a different color or colors from that of the central intermediate inset member 16 so as to be complementary thereto. Further, the upper surface of the central inset member 16 may be provided with an embossed decorative crest 26 or emblem which, for example, may be the personal crest of the owner of a restaurant. Also, rather than having a single inset 16, for example, if desired, a plurality of such insets or segments thereof may be employed in a suitable pattern within intermediate inset 14.

In addition, the outermost peripheral panel of the upper surface of rim member 12, which may be formed from metal, ceramic material, or glass, also may be provided with either an embossed or intaglio name 28 and also may include a greeting 30. The name 28 and greeting 30, for example, are highly susceptible to being formed by casting the rim member 22 in a sand or other type of mold formed by a pattern made in accordance with the method of said prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,541. However, it is to be understood that the rim member 12 may, with equal facility, be formed from a suitable and preferably rigid synthetic resin or plastics material and produced in an appropriate mold for such material by injection or compression molding while the intermediate inset member 14 may be formed from metal and suitably enameled and fired or, if formed from aluminum, it may be annodized with a suitable color or hue. Under such circumstances, the central inset member 16 may be molded from ceramic material and glazed as described above.

From the foregoing, therefore, it will be seen that a very wide range of selection of various materials, colors, decorations and ornamentations may be selected as desired and the various components thus selected may be connected together into a unitary structure comprising a composite service plate which is highly ornamental and aesthetically pleasing.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the various materials referred to above from which the different components may be formed lend themselves to being securely affixed to each other by the employment of suitable coatings or layers of cement 32. If desired, the entire bottom surface of the recess or seat 24 in intermediate inset member 14 may have the cement 32 applied thereto to secure the central inset member 16 thereto. Similarly, the horizontal bottom surface portion of the seat 20 may have a continuous stripe or coating of the cement 32 applied thereto as shown in FIG. 4 for example. Certain types of industrial or commercial epoxy cements are highly suitable for such purpose and are very durable.

To protect the cement layer 32 and enhance its durability, and especially for sanitary purposes it is preferred that the interfitted and seated members have limited space between the peripheries of the inset members and the adjacent walls of the seats which receive the same to permit the introduction of a preferably thin application of sealing material 34 to fill the crevice between the members. An appropriate fluid rubber compound, technically known as grout, which quickly dries and is waterproof is suitable for such purpose and is durable for long periods of time. By suitable wiping action at the time the sealing material is applied, the upper surface of the narrow band thereof is rendered substantially coextensive with the upper surface of the inset member which is sealed thereby into the recess therefor. The band of sealing material also serves to at least slightly outline the inset from the rim of the plate. Certain forms of epoxy or similar cements require at least limited heating to quickly and properly cure the same. The various materials proposed for the formation of the various components of the composite service plate described above lend themselves to reasonably high heat which is necessary for such curing purposes.

Referring further to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the upper surface 36 of the intermediate inset member 14 is slightly below the upper surface 38 of the portion of the rim member 12 which is immediately adjacent the periphery of inset member 14. Similarly, the uppermost areas of the central inset member 16, which may contain an embossed design 26 for example, preferably is no higher than the upper surface 36 of member 14.

Further, the rim member 12 is provided with a bottom or base rim surface 40 which is directly below the upper surface portion 38 of rim member 12 which is immediately adjacent the perimeter of seat 20. Accordingly, when two or more plates of the same diameter are stacked upon each other, it will be seen from FIG. 4 with respect to the upper plate shown in phantom that the annular base rim surface 40 thereof is seated upon the upper surface portion 38 of member 12 which is adjacent seat 20 and is thereby slightly spaced above the upper surface 36 of inset member 14. Especially when the rim member 12 is formed from metal or a durable synthetic resin and the inset members 14 and 16 are formed from ceramic, glass or synthetic resin material, no scratching or other damage will be sustained by the upper surfaces of the inset members as a result of such stacking.

With further reference to FIG. 4, it will be seen that when a central opening 18 is formed in the rim member 12, the lower surface of the intermediate inset member 14 is exposed. Particularly if said inset member is formed from ceramic or glass, it may be susceptible to breakage due to said bottom surface accidentally contacting an object of suitable height to crack or otherwise break the same. To minimize such possibility occurring, by referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that a protective member 42 may be applied against the bottom surface of inset member 14 and affixed thereto by appropriate cement. The protective member may comprise a disc of cork, felt, rubber, foam plastic or other suitable and preferably somewhat compressive material. Appropriate cement may be used to affix the same to the undersurface of inset member 14.

Another embodiment of composite service plate, which nevertheless embodies the same basic principles of the invention as the preceding embodiments, is illustrated in FIGS. 5 - 7. It will be seen therein that the rim member 44, rather than having a central aperture therein, has a continuous bottom 46 which is surrounded by an annular base rim surface 47 which extends below the lower surface of bottom 46 a slight distance to provide a clearance space 48 in the central portion of the bottom surface of the plate. Said rim member is formed from any of the materials and by any of the means described above with respect to rim member 12 of the preceding figures. Further, the rim member 44 is provided with a seat 49 having a peripheral wall which is slightly spaced from the periphery of the inset member 50 which is seated therein. The continuous bottom 46 protects inset from injury at least from below.

In the foregoing specific illustration, the inset member 50 is indicated as being a solid, unitary disc. However, if desired, it also may be provided with an additional seat to receive a central inset member similar to member 16 of the preceding figures. Hence, the illustration in FIGS. 5-7 are not to be regarded as restrictive but merely illustrative. Also, a layer of cement 52, of the same type as cement 32, described relative to the preceding figures, is disposed within the bottom surface of seat 48 to fixedly secure the inset member 50 thereto. Similarly, sealing material 54, which is similar to sealing material 34 in the preceding figures, is disposed within the slight clearance space shown between the periphery of the inset member 50 and the adjacent wall of recess 48 to seal the cement 52 against contact by wash water and the like and thereby provide sanitary characteristics.

As in regard to the embodiment shown in the preceding figures, the composite service plate shown in FIG. 5 also is so arranged that the upper surface portion 56 of the rim member 44, which is immediately adjacent the side wall of the seat 48, is at such a level with respect to the upper surface of inset member 50 that, when two or more plates of this type are stacked upon each other, the annular base rim surface 47 will not contact the upper surface of the inset 50 or any additional inset which may be mounted therein. This is a result of base rim surface 47 being directly vertically below the portion of surface 56 which is immediately adjacent the perimeter of seat 49, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus if the inset is made from fragile or other types of material readily subject to scratching, it will not be scratched or otherwise defaced or marred as a result of such stacking operations.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4, and especially as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower position of the upper surfaces 36 of insets 14 and 16 relative to the upper surface 38 of rim member 12 is slightly exaggerated. In reality, the preferred distance is slight and similar to that shown in FIG. 7 between the upper surface 58 of inset 50 and the surface 56 of rim member 44, thus giving an appearance of said surfaces being in the same plane and also feeling to be so.

Although the foregoing description of the various embodiments has either indicated or implied that the various components of the composite service plate shown in the figures are circular, it is to be understood that various other geometric configurations than circular are feasible and possible since the shape of said components depend solely upon the shape of the molds in which they are formed and all of the members are contemplated to be formed preferably either by casting, molding, or stamping operations and, thus, desired shapes may be produced incident to such formation of the components. Further, certain of the components may have one geometric configuration while other components may have a different geometric configuration, the only requirement being that the seat within which any of the inset members are to be received shall have a configuration complementary to the periphery of such inset member.

By fixedly securing the various components of such composite service plate together by durable cement, such as certain of the industrial or commercial epoxy cements now available and, in addition, by sealing such cement against contact by wash water and the like by application of permanent type sealing material within the crevices between the perimeters of the inset members and the walls of the seats receiving the same, it will be seen that such service plates readily may be cleansed after use thereof by at least limited and repeated immersion within wash water and conventional detergents for brief periods of time adequate to suitably wash the plates and then drain or dry them. Due to the fact that it is not intended that food shall be served directly upon such plate, it is not necessary to subject the plates to as intense or thorough washing as conventional plates or dishes upon which food is directly served.

In all of the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings and described hereinabove, it will be seen that while substantial description has centered around the upper surfaces of the rim members adjacent the recesses therein, the figures of the drawings show a substantial sloping area of the circular rims extending outward and upward from the somewhat flat, horizontal surface portions which are adjacent said recesses in the rim members. These sloping portions are at a level above the horizontal portions adjacent the recesses and thereby provide a contour for the entire plate which more closely resembles that of a conventional plate, whether service or otherwise, and provides at least a somewhat shallow central depression.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention affords a very wide latitude for the selection of a desired combination of the various component members of a composite service plate and connecting the same together to produce a pleasing and aesthetically attractive composite product of a type not heretobefore available. In addition, a manufacturer or sales representative for such plates may visually demonstrate to a prospective customer various selected combinations of said components made respectively from different materials and tentatively assembled, without cementing, to achieve a combination desired by or acceptable to an individual customer prior to placing an order for the same. A suitable range of different colors and shapes of such components, as well as components made from various materials may be maintained, with no appreciable inconvenience and with minimum inventory of samples, for purposes of making such demonstrations. Thus due to the basic concept of the present invention, such demonstrations are possible whereas they are not readily possible in selecting a design of conventional service plates made from china, glass and the like.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as illustrated and described.

Claims

We claim:

1. A composite service plate comprising a circumferential rim member of predetermined width extending upwardly and outwardly from a central seat recess and formed from rigid material, said seat recess extending downwardly from and substantially continuously around the inner edge of said rim member and terminating in a supporting base surface below the bottom of said rim member, said supporting base surface having a greater width than said seat recess, an inset contrasting in appearance to that of said rim member extending across and positioned within said seat recess and forming the upper central surface of said plate, said inset having a decorated upper surface and a thickness very slightly less than the depth of said seat recess while the upper surface of said inset appears to be substantially within the plane of that portion of said rim member which is adjacent said seat recess, whereby when two or more of said plates are stacked, the supporting surface of the upper plate will rest upon the rim of said seat recess of the next lower plate and thereby be in no physical contact with the upper surface of said inset of said next lower plate to prevent contact therewith, and cement-type means surrounding the perimeter of said inset to form a seal therearound and additional cement material disposed between the bottom surface of said seat recess and said inset for fixedly securing said inset to said seat and prevent direct contact of said inset with said seat.

2. The service plate according to claim 1 in which said rim member is cast from metal and said inset member comprises a fired ceramic disk-like member.

3. The service plate according to claim 1 in which said inset is composite and includes an intermediate inset disposed within said seat of said rim member and having an additional seat formed therein, and a central inset securely fixed within said second seat in said intermediate inset, said intermediate and central insets being of a contrasting appearance to each other and to said rim member and the upper surfaces of said insets both being below the rim of said seat recess.

4. The service plate according to claim 3 in which said central inset is fixedly secured to said second seat within said intermediate inset by permanent cement, and sealing material of a permanent nature surrounding the periphery of said central inset and disposed against the adjacent wall of said second seat which receives said central inset.

5. The service plate according to claim 4 in which said central inset is provided with a design on the upper surface thereof and said intermediate inset is finished to contrast to said central inset and provide a decorative border surrounding said design of said central inset.