U.S. patent number 3,894,551 [Application Number 05/374,971] was granted by the patent office on 1975-07-15 for container for use in cleansing jewelry.
Invention is credited to John F. Stohlman.
United States Patent |
3,894,551 |
Stohlman |
July 15, 1975 |
Container for use in cleansing jewelry
Abstract
A container for use in cleansing jewelry wherein a basket,
adapted to hold the jewelry to be cleaned, is supported in an
elevated position in the container, the basket and associated
jewelry being submersible in cleaning fluid contained in the
container, the basket being supported in the elevated position
within the container to allow the jewelry to drip dry. Covers are
provided on the basket and container, respectively, to prevent the
jewelry from being dislodged from the basket during the submerging
of the jewelry in the cleaning fluid, and to prevent spillage of
the fluid from the container and evaporation of the fluid therefrom
during the drip drying of the jewelry.
Inventors: |
Stohlman; John F. (Damascus,
MD) |
Family
ID: |
23478967 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/374,971 |
Filed: |
June 29, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/135; 206/205;
134/117; 220/23.89 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B08B
3/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B08B
3/04 (20060101); B08b 003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;99/318,319,410,412,413,415 ;134/135,137 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1,901 |
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Feb 1886 |
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GB |
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10,298 |
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May 1901 |
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GB |
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265,188 |
|
Sep 1927 |
|
GB |
|
345,764 |
|
Apr 1931 |
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GB |
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165,842 |
|
Feb 1934 |
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CH |
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Primary Examiner: Blum; Daniel
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brady, O'Boyle & Gates
Claims
I claim:
1. A container for cleansing jewelry comprising, a receptacle
adapted to contain a volume of cleaning fluid, a plurality of
circumferentially spaced flanges provided on the inner surface of
the receptacle at a location below the upper edge of the
receptacle, a basket adapted to contain jewelry to be cleaned, said
basket having a cylindrical side wall and a perforated bottom wall,
a plurality of circumferentially spaced flanges provided on the
basket side wall and adapted to seat on the receptacle flanges,
whereby, in one position, the basket is located above the surface
of the cleaning fluid but below the upper edge of the receptacle;
said basket being removable from said receptacle flanges and
lowered into the cleaning fluid; the perforated bottom wall being
provided by a mesh connected to the lower edge of the basket
cylindrical side wall to form a supporting surface for the jewelry
to be cleaned, a bail connected to the basket cylindrical side wall
to facilitate moving the basket between the elevated and lowered
positions; a mesh cover removably mounted on the upper edge of the
basket side wall to prevent the jewelry from becoming dislodged
from the basket during the washing of the jewelry while allowing
the cleaning fluid to pass therethrough, said mesh cover being
provided with depending finger means for frictionally engaging the
basket side wall to thereby retain the mesh cover thereon, whereby
the basket containing the jewelry to be cleaned is submerged in the
cleaning fluid to thereby wash the jewelry, whereupon the basket
containing the cleaned jewelry is supported on the receptacle
flanges and wholly contained within the receptacle to thereby allow
the jewelry to drip dry, and a cover removably mounted on the upper
edge of the receptacle to prevent spillage and evaporation of the
cleaning fluid during the drying of the jewelry.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the requirements when wearing earrings, particularly rings
to be worn in pierced ears, is to maintain the rings clean for
hygienic purposes. After considerable research and experimentation,
the container of the present invention has been devised for
cleaning jewelry, particularly earrings, and comprises,
essentially, a container adapted to hold a small volume of jewelry
cleaning fluid. A basket containing the rings to be cleaned is
removably mounted in the container from an elevated position to a
submerged position in the cleaning fluid, the basket and associated
jewelry being movable to the elevated position, whereby the rings
may drip dry. A cover is provided on the basket to prevent the
rings from being dislodged from the basket during their submersion
in the cleaning fluid, and a cover is provided on the container to
prevent not only spillage of the fluid but also the evaporation of
the fluid therefrom during the drip drying of the rings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the container
showing the basket in solid lines in the elevated position, and in
the submerged position in phantom;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the basket employed in the
container of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the container with the cover and
basket removed therefrom; and
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the basket.
As will be seen in FIG. 4, the basket has a cylindrical side wall 4
a and a mesh bottom wall 4b. A plurality of circumferentially
spaced flanges 4c are provided on the outer surface of the side
wall 4a for engaging the flanges 3 in the receptacle whereby the
basket is supported in the elevated position in the basket. A bail
4d is also connected to the side wall of the basket to facilitate
the handling of the basket.
The basket is also provided with a mesh cover 5 removably mounted
on the upper edge of the basket side wall by a plurality of
depending fingers 5a secured to the rim of the cover and
frictionally engaging opposite sides of the basket side wall.
The receptacle 1 is also provided with a removable closure 6 to
prevent spillage or evaporation of the cleaning fluid from the
receptacle.
In using the container of the present invention, the jewelry to be
cleaned, for instance earrings 7, are placed in the basket 4. The
bail 4d is grasped and the basket is rotated to align the basket
flanges 4c with the spaces between the receptacle flanges 3,
thereby allowing the basket containing the earrings to be lowered
into the cleaning fluid, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2. While in
the lowered position, the basket is agitated in an oscillatory and
reciprocatory manner to cause the fluid to thoroughly wash the
earrings. After the rings have been washed, the basket containing
the rings is replaced on the receptacle flanges 3 to thereby allow
the rings to drip dry.
It is intended that the container of the present invention be
placed on the user's dresser or vanity and that the earrings be
washed soon after their removal from the user's ears so that the
drip drying of the earrings will take place during the non-use of
the earrings.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the mesh
cover 5 on the basket will prevent the earrings from becoming
dislodged from the basket during the washing operation, while at
the same time allowing the cleaning fluid to flow therethrough.
While the container of the present invention is adapted to be
formed from corrosive-resistant plastics, it could also be formed
from heavy glass to insure its stability on the dresser or vanity,
and while the container has been described for cleaning earrings,
it will be readily understood that the container can be employed
equally well for cleaning other types of jewelry such as finger
rings, pins and the like.
It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith
shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the
same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement
of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of
the invention or scope of the subjoined claim.
* * * * *