Coaster

June 11, 1935. s. j. low 2,004,166

COASTER Filed April 13, 1933

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Patented June 11, 1935

2,004,166

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,004,166 COASTER Stanley J. Low, Niles Center, HL Application April 13, 1933, Serial No. 665,872 1 Claim. (Cl. 45—68.4)

This invention relates to improvements in coasters and the like. An object of the invention, among others, is the provision of a new and improved coaster which may be placed upon ta5 bles beneath glasses and pitchers and the like to absorb water or moisture, and which also may be placed upon a table for the purpose of soaking up water or other liquid from the table, preferably, but not necessarily, at the same time, such ₁₀ coaster having a waterproofing binding film which will prevent the water, for example, which is absorbed from the bottom of the glass from passing through the coaster to, for example, a table top.

An object also is the provision of such a coaster which will as a practical matter prevent hot or ° cold liquid from a hot or cold body such as hot food or ice water from permeating through to a table top and injuring the same by causing expansion or contraction, or otherwise, as the case may be, besides functioning to a degree as an insulator against heat and cold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coaster having improvements in respect to means for producing a stiff, durable satisfactory _2g coaster, and in respect to means for retaining or retarding water or other liquid which may have collected on the coaster to dam the same and prevent the water from overrunning the side of the coaster and retain or retard it for absorption. 30 invention also has for an Object the provision of such a coaster which will be easy of manufacture and extremely inexpensive.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the specification here₃₃ inafter set forth.

° The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, showing ₄₀ a preferred form of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2—2 of Fig. 1.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawing comprises a coaster 5 hav45 ing a layer 6 of absorbent cellulose material such as common blotting paper. Superimposed upon this layer 6 is a waterproofing film 7 which in the preferred form is casein glue. Superposed upon the layer 6 and the film 7 is a layer 8 of absorbent 50 cellulose material such as common blotting paper, which layer 8 is similar to layer 6. It will be obvious from the foregoing to those skilled iii the art that when the layers 6 and 8 are attached to each other in an obvious manner by 55 means of the film of casein glue 7 the two layers 6 and 8 and the film 7 will constitute a single united device comprising a coaster.

In the preferred form shown the coaster 5 has stamped into it a bead 9 adjacent the outer circumference of the coaster, as is clear from the drawing. The coaster is similarly provided on the ⁵side opposite to that having the bead with a ridge or channel 10 located in a similar manner with respect to the circumference of the disc.

The bead functions to retain or retard a liquid which may flow onto the coaster at a rate which ¹⁰is greater temporarily than the rate of absorption of the absorbent material, and tends to prevent the liquid from overflowing onto a table, for example, retarding it to give the coaster more time to absorb the liquid. The bead functions in ¹⁵this manner when the bead is located on the upper side of the coaster, which is my preferred form of use. When the bead is not on the upper side of the coaster, the channel will function to retard any overflowing liquid, in a manner obvious 20 to those skilled in the art. In addition to functioning in this maimer, the rib and ridge also function to stiffen the coaster.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that if a glass is placed upon the coaster and water is 25 caused to collect on the coaster, the water will be absorbed by the upper layer of absorbent material of the coaster, and the same water will be prevented from soaking or seeping through to the under layer and any highly polished table sur- ³⁰face which may be located thereunder by means of the interposed waterproofing film, of casein glue, which also binds the two layers together. In addition, the bead will retard the flow of any liquid which might be likely to overflow the ³⁵coaster, as aforesaid. If there should be any water, for example, collected upon the table itself, the coaster may be placed upon that section of the table having the water collected thereupon and the absorbent material will soak up the ⁴⁰water, and the water so absorbed will· be prevented from penetrating through to the upper layer of absorbent material by means of the interposed waterproofing binder. Thus at the same time the coaster may function to dry up cold or ⁴⁵hot water which may have collected upon the highly polished surface of the table, and also absorb water collecting upon the upper layer of the coaster from a glass of water deposited there- ₅₀on.

The casein glue used in my preferred form may become brittle and liable to fracture, especially in the process of stamping the bead into the coaster, should the bead be used. When this 55

2,004,166 brittleness and danger of fracture are considered a disadvantage. I have discovered that it may be remedied by adding rubber latex to the casein glue. This addition will overcome this dis5 advantage and obtain and retain the necessary flexibility, besides increasing the waterproofing faculty of the coaster. The percentage of latex to be added varies according to the materials used, and the necessary proportion will easily be de10 termined by those skilled in the art. In fact, rubber latex or other equivalent may be substituted for the casein.

The waterproofing film, whether of rubber latex or casein glue, or both, will constitute a solid 15 film which will not merely be waterproof in spots, but a film which will be completely impervious for the purpose. I have used an absorbent cellulose material in the preferred form described. My invention is not limited to such cellulose material, 20 but extends to equivalent material,

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish 5 to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.