U.S. patent number 3,848,943 [Application Number 05/397,598] was granted by the patent office on 1974-11-19 for rotatable silverware holder.
Invention is credited to Noah Gene Geesaman, Vivian B. Geesaman.
United States Patent |
3,848,943 |
Geesaman , et al. |
November 19, 1974 |
ROTATABLE SILVERWARE HOLDER
Abstract
A rotatable silverware holder consisting of a base member
supporting a circular tray in a rotatable manner thereon with a
cylinder cover adapted to completely close the tray compartment,
the tray compartment being partitioned into a plurality of radially
extending segments with each segment provided with a pair of
different diameter concentric circular members each having radially
extending slots therein with each slot adapted to receive an item
of silverware therein, the tray being rotatable about its axis with
the cover member being mounted for axial movement upwardly from the
tray to permit access to the contents of the tray compartments,
with the cover adapted to close the tray compartments in a
protective dust free manner.
Inventors: |
Geesaman; Noah Gene (Bryant,
IN), Geesaman; Vivian B. (Bryant, IN) |
Family
ID: |
23571853 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/397,598 |
Filed: |
September 14, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/284; 206/373;
206/553; 206/564; 211/70.7; 206/561; 211/70; 211/131.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
81/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
81/04 (20060101); A47B 81/00 (20060101); A47b
081/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/135,284
;211/6T,70,128,129,131 ;206/16R,16S,17,17.1,75 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mitchell; James C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jeffers; Albert L. Rickert; Roger
M.
Claims
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
1. A rotatable silverware holder comprising:
a base member adapted to rest on any suitable support surface and
including an elongated cylindrical boss projecting upwardly a
slight distance therefrom and having an elongated vertically
extending rod projecting axially upwardly from the top surface of
the boss;
a circular tray rotatably supported on the boss projecting from the
base for rotation about its axis, the tray including a centrally
disposed axially inwardly projecting hub member and a cylindrical
outer side wall surface, the elongated rod projecting axially
through the hub member through a suitable aperture provided axially
therethrough;
a plurality of angularly spaced elongated rectangular partitions
radially extending between the hub member and the tray side walls
to define therebetween a plurality of separate compartments in the
tray, the ends of the partitions engaging the hub member and the
interior of the side walls with a side edge of each of the
partitions disposed adjacent the tray bottom surface;
a pair of different diameter concentric ring like spacer members
connected to the interior tray bottom surface, the partitions
dividing the spacer members into arcuate sections with an arcuate
section of each spacer member being disposed in each of the
compartments, each spacer member having a plurality of radially
extending slots provided therein with each slot being of a size and
shape adapted to receive a particular item of silverware therein in
a manner to support and store the same in a side-by-side
relationship;
a hollow cylindrical cover open at one end and closed at the
opposite end and being of a diameter to completely cover the
compartments in the tray, the closed end having a centrally
disposed aperture permitting the rod to extend axially
therethrough;
an elongated hollow tubular member having one end connected to the
center of the exterior top surface of the closed end of the cover
with the opposite end projecting axially upwardly therefrom, the
handle being concentric with the rod which extends axially
therethrough; and
means for retaining the cover in an open position spaced axially
upwardly a distance from the tray to permit silverware to be
inserted into the tray and also to permit silverware to be removed
from the tray, such means being readily released to permit the
cover to close the tray to protect the same from dirt and other
contamination.
2. The rotatable silverware holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein
each of the spacer members has a substantially rectangular
crossection, each of the plurality of slots defined in such spacer
means being transversely oriented relative to the axis of the
spacer means with each slot adapted to pass a portion of an item of
silverware therethrough, the slots in the second spacer member
being the same in number as the slots in the first spacer member
and substantially aligned therewith and adapted to receive
therethrough other portions of the item of silverware, the slots in
one of the compartments adapted to receive the blade and handle
portion of knife silverware members, the slots in another
compartment adapted to receive the front and back portions of spoon
type silverware items, with the slots in yet a further compartment
being adapted to receive the leading and handle portions
respectively of fork like silverware items, the partitions disposed
in the tray and extending to a height not exceeding the top edge of
the tray side walls.
3. The rotatable silverware holder as set forth in claim 2 wherein
the cover member is of a diameter greater than the interior
diameter of the tray side walls and less than the exterior diameter
of the tray side walls, the peripheral edge surface of the cover
member adapted to seat against the peripheral top edge surface of
the tray side walls.
4. The rotatable silverware holder as set forth in claim 3 wherein
the handle member includes a longitudinally elongated slot formed
in the side wall thereof, a locking member pivotally secured to the
handle member with an operating portion thereof projecting
outwardly from the slot, and the rod including a notch adapted to
cooperate with the locking member to secure the cover in a raised
position relative to the tray.
5. The rotatable silverware holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein
the locking member includes a trapezoidal flat member pivoted at
one corner inwardly of the handle member with the opposite corner
projecting outwardly of the slot, the corner opposite the corner
projecting from the slot defining a locking finger adapted to
engage in the notch provided in the rod, the notch in the rod
including a base portion extending normal to the axis of the rod
and a tapered upper surface extending upwardly and outwardly from
the axis of the rod to the side wall of the rod, the locking member
being gravity biased into having the locking edge in constant
sliding engagement with the side wall of the rod whereby when the
cover is raised by the handle to a position where the locking
member engages in the notch then the cover will be retained in the
raised position until after the projecting end of the locking
member is manually rotated in an upward and inward direction toward
the rod to release the locking edge from the notch and permit the
cover to be lowered onto the top edge surfaces of the side walls of
the tray.
6. The rotatable silverware holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein
the tray is molded as a unitary structure including therein the
radial partitions, spacer members, and inner boss member which are
all integrally molded therewith.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to silverware holders and more
particularly to a novel and improved rotatable silverware holder
adapted for holding, storing and dispensing of various items of
silverware from separate compartments defined therein with each
compartment adapted to hold a separate silverware item, such as
forks, spoons, knives, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known in the prior art to provide many types of
silverware holders for use in either storing silverware, washing
silverware, or carrying silverware from one place to another, such
carrying normally being performed in a relatively expensive
silverware chest or the like when it is desired that each piece of
silverware be retained in its own separate compartment apart from
contact with any other piece of silverware. This is quite
inconvenient to the normal housewife who generally encounters
difficulties during the serving of meals in that she must
constantly run back and forth between the kitchen and dining room
whenever extra silverware is required. The only alternative being
to keep silverwave in the dining room in the aforementioned
silverware type chest which is normally quite bulky and which
presents an appearance to most people as a display case for the
silverware which some people may find offensive on the part of the
housewife.
It would thus be desirable to provide a silverware holder for a
multiplicity of items of silverware maintained in a manner where
individuals seated at a dining room table or the like could readily
select extra silverware as required without the housewife having to
be bothered or without the individual selecting such silverware
having to bother other individuals at the table.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes the problems and plight of the
normal housewife and provides a novel solution to the silverware
holding and dispensing problem by providing a novel rotatable tray
type container having a plurality of compartments therein each
adapted to hold in side-by-side relationship different items of
silverware, the tray being readily rotatable by any individual at a
table on which the tray is positioned such that the individual may
remove any selected item of silverware therefrom without disturbing
any other individual at the table.
Further, the present invention provides a novel silverware holder
having a silverware containing tray rotatable about its axis with a
transparent cover adapted to close the tray to protect the
silverware therein from dust and other contaminants while being
readily raised therefrom and secured in the raised position
permitting access to the items of silverware therein.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a silverware
holder including a rotatable tray having compartments defined
therein for holding a compact form and making readily and instantly
available a desired item of silverware in such a manner that any
item of silverware in the holder may be brought to view and easily
and readily removed from the holder for use at the table.
Yet still a further feature of the present invention provides a
rotatable silverware holder which is aesthetically pleasing and
refined in appearance so as to be suitable for placing on a dining
room table during entertainment of guests and the like, which is
simple in construction; and which is practical and efficient in
operation without requiring any special instructions or expertise
on the part of the guests in obtaining silverware from the
holder.
The provision of a rotatable silverware holder, such as briefly
outlined above, and possessing the stated advantages, constitutes
the principal features of the present invention. The provision of a
holder which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture due to its
simplicity of construction; one which is of a pleasing and yet
durable construction; one which is adapted to hold a variety of
silverware items in separate partitioned compartments; and one
which, otherwise, is well adapted to perform the services required
of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind
in the production and development of the present invention.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent
during the course of the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,
and in which like reference characters are employed to designate
like parts throughout the same:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotatable silverware holder
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the rotatable silverware
holder showing the cover in the closed position and showing the
cover in phantom configuration in the open position;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the rotatable silverware holder with
the cover partially broken away to disclose the compartments in the
tray and the silverware items disposed therein; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view, partially
in cross-section, of the mechanism for retaining the cover in the
open position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a
preferred form of a rotatable silverware holder constructed in
accord with the invention and designated in its entirely by the
reference numeral 10 and which is comprised of a base member 11, a
circular bowl shaped tray 12, and a cylindrical cover member 13
having a handle 14 connected axially thereto and projecting
upwardly therefrom. The rotatable silverware holder 10 may be
manufactured out of a variety of suitable satisfactory materials
and in a variety of colors, a preferred embodiment having the tray
12 formed of an opaque colored high density polystyrene plastic
which may be covered with a wood grain paper vinyl or the like,
with the cover 13 being produced in a transparent high density
polystyrene or, if desired, in a translucent polystyrene.
The base 11 is of a circular configuration having a bottom surface
21, a top surface 22, and tapered side walls 23 interconnecting the
peripheral edges of the top and bottom surfaces respectively.
Disposed centrally of the base member and projecting axially
upwardly from the top surface 22 thereof is a cylindrical boss like
member 25 having a top surface 26 with an elongated cylindrical rod
27 disposed concentric with the boss member and projecting axially
upwardly from the top surface thereof.
The tray 12 is of a circular configuration having a bottom surface
31 with a cylindrical side wall 32 extending upwardly from the
peripheral edges of the bottom surfaces and terminating in a top
edge surface 33, there being defined above bottom surface 31 and
between side walls 32 a compartment 35 of a circular configuration
and having a plurality of angularly spaced radially extending
partitions 36 disposed between the outer circular surface of a
cylindrical boss 37 disposed concentrically in the compartment 35
and extending axially upwardly from the interior of the tray bottom
surface, and the interior surface of the side walls 32. Disposed
interior of cylindrical boss 37 is a cylindrically shaped recess 38
extending through bottom surface 31 and adapted to rest on the top
surface 26 of boss 25 in a manner to rotatably support the tray 12
with the bottom surface 31 spaced a slight vertical distance above
the top surface 22 of the base 11, the tray being rotatable about
its central axis on the boss 25.
Disposed in compartment 35 and secured to the interior of the
bottom surface 31 thereof is a pair of concentric ring like members
41 and 42 each projecting upwards a slight distance from the bottom
surface 31 to form spacer members with each including a plurality
of transversely oriented slots 43 in spacer member 42 and slots 44
in spacer member 41, such slots being of a generally radially
extending orientation and each respective set of slots being
axially aligned and adapted to receive therethrough the handle
portion or blade portion of silverware such as designated by knives
46, spoons 47, and forks 48. In addition, such slots are also
adaptable to support therebetween a plurality of napkins such as
designatd generally by reference numeral 49. In addition, one of
the compartments may readily be utilized to store other items
normally used at the table, such as salt and pepper shakers 51 and
52, spices 53, and the like.
It is to be noted that the partitions 36 may be separately formed
and connected between the inner hub 37 and the interior of the side
walls 32, or alternatively the complete tray 12 including spacer
members 41 and 42, partitions 36, interior boss 37, and the side
walls 32 and bottom surface 31 may be integrally formed as a
unitary partitioned one piece plastic molded tray of circular
configuration, such partitions 36 extending integrally from the
inner hub 37 to the periphery or interior surface of the side walls
32 of the tray thus forming not only separate compartments 38
therebetween but also serving to strengthen the molded tray
configuration.
Disposed concentric with the tray and positioned thereabove is the
cylindrical cover member 13 including an open end 51, a closed end
surface 52, and cylindrical side wall 53 interconnecting the
respective end surfaces, the cover 13 being of a diameter greater
than the interior diameter of the side walls 32 but less than the
exterior diameter thereof such that edge 51 of the cover rests on
edge 33 of the tray when the cover is in the closed position so as
to protect the contents of the tray from dirt and other
contamination. Disposed concentric with the cover and extending
axially upwardly therefrom is handle member 14 having an end 61
attached to the top surface 52 of the cover with the opposite end
62 projecting axially therefrom, the handle member including a
hollow tubular body member 63 interconnecting the end surfaces, the
rod 27 extending axially through the cover top surface 52 and
through an elongated cylindrical chamber 64 defined through body
member 63, the top end of the rod terminating in an enlarged head
portion 29 serving both to assist in the transporting of the
silverware holder 10 as well as serving as a stop to prevent the
handle member 14 from being axially removed off of the rod 27.
In handle member 14 there is provided a longitudinally elongated
slot 65 in the side wall of the body member 63 with a locking
member 66 pivotally connected to the body member at pivot point 67
permitting the locking member to pivot thereabout with locking edge
surface 68 selectively pivoting in a direction toward or away from
the rod 27. The interior leading edge of the locking edge 68 is in
the form of a finger 69 adapted to engage in a triangular notch 70
provided in rod 27 upon the handle and connected cover member 13
being vertically raised along rod 27 until reaching the intended
open position of the cover spaced vertically from the tray 12, this
position designated in phantom configuration in FIG. 2, and at this
position finger 69 engages in slot 70 to retain the cover 13 in the
open position. To close the cover, it is only required that edge
69a of locking member 66 be depressed inwardly in a rotative
direction upwardly and forwardly toward the top end 62 of the
handle 14, this serving to pivot finger 69 and locking edge 68 out
of notch 70 and permit the cover 13 to be lowered onto the tray 12
for covering the silverware and other items contained in the
tray.
There is thus provided a novel rotatable silverware holder
including a cover member adapted to be selectively moved between a
closed position covering the contents of the tray and an open
position permitting access to the contents of the tray in a rapid
and efficient manner so that the holder may serve both to store,
carry and dispense articles of silverware on a dining room table or
the like.
It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith
shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the
same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact
arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, or
described in this specification, as various changes in the details
of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be
resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the
scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined
claims.
* * * * *