Guard for drinking glasses

Nov. 15, 1938.

2,136,755

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C. S. PRINCE

GUARD FOR DRINKING GLASSES

Filed Nov. 9, 1937

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Patented Nov. 15, 1938

2,136,755

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,136,755

GUARD FOR DRINKING GLASSES

Charles Stanley Prince, Washington, D. C.

Application November ' -5 Claims.

Triis invention relates to drinking glasses and the like , and more particularly to a guard or strainer adapted to be placed in the glass to hold back ice or other solid matter when the contents

S is being drunk.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be cheap to manufacture, efficient in use, and easy to place in position.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, and in which:

^P1S· ¹ .^{is a vertical} sectional view of one form 15 of drinking glass with my improved guard or strainer in position therein, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2__2 of

Fig., 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a different form of glass showing my improved guard applied thereto, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of still another form of glass, showing my improved guard in position 25 therein.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my improved guard or strainer is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral i, and comprises a split ring formed of a crimped or corru30 gated strip of resilient sheet material.

This material may be metal, as for example stainless steel or spring brass or bronze, plated if desired. Or it may be of a non-metallic nature, such, for example, as Celluloid, synthetic 35 resin, or other thermoplastic material. In some cases it may even be formed from fibrous material such as stiff, heavy, paraffined paper or indurated fiber. .,.

X . Fig· 2, the free ends of the crimped strip are 40 indicated at 2 and 3. The crimping of the strip and bending the same into a ring as shown in Fig. 2 produces a series of inner loops 4 and outer loops 5, connected by more or less radial por' tions 6. The ends of the inner loops 4 prefer^· ^4i> ably lie on a circle concentric with the glass and of such size as to permit of additional icq or the hke being placed in the glass if desired, without disturbing the guard.

Between the extreme end 3 of the ring and the JO adjacent radial portion extends a smooth circumferential portion 3\ conforming substantially with the circle defined by the outer ends of the loops 5, for a purpose hereinafter described. The ring is of such size that by compressing or 55 squeezing it together, it may be readily placed

9, 1937, Serial No, 173,707 (Cl. 65—13) within a glass or the like, and when released, ' will expand into close contact with the inner surface thereof. ,

In Fig. 1,1 have illustrated a common type of drinking glass having cylindrical walls 7 and an 5 annular enlargement or bulge 8 forming an internal peripheral groove or channel near the top of the glass. In use, my improved resilient guard or strainer is slightly edmpressed and inserted into the mouth of the glass until it reaches 10 this groove or channel, when it expands and is thus held resiliently in position by the frictional engagement of the outer ends 5 of the loops with the channel or groove. The radial portions 6 extend inwardly a sufficient distance to effective- 15 ly hold back the ice or the like and prevent it from reaching the mouth of the glass when the latter is tilted.

The portion 3^a of the ring Iles closely against the wall of the glass, and the space between the 20 loops at each side of this portion provides a gap or gateway through which pieces of ice, fruit, etc. may pass, when the glass is held in the proper position. That is to say, if it is desired that ice or other solid matter be discharged from 25 the glass, then the glass is turned so as to bring the above mentioned gap to the lower side of the glass, when tilted. The contents of the glass may then pass freely through the said gap. If, however, the glass be turned so as to bring this gap 30 to the upper side of the glass, when tilted, the loops 4 will serve to effectively prevent the escape of any large pieces of solid matter.

While my improved guard or strainer is particularly adapted for use in connection with 35 glasses of the type having an annular enlargement, as shown in Fig. 1, it may also be employed in connection with ordinary cylindrical glasses such as illustrated at 7' in Fig. 3. The inherent resilience of the strip causes the outer ends of 40 the loops 5 to frictionally engage the inner wall of the glass to an extent sufficient to hold the guard in position, especially in cases where the strip is formed of material having a relatively high coefficient of friction, such, for exam'ple, as 45 paraffined paper or the like.

In Fig. 4,1 have illustrated another well known form of glass T, having in its upper portion a bulge or enlargement 8', and a more or less restricted mouth 9. This form of glass is also 50 well adapted for use with my improved resilient guard,. as the shape of the enlargement tends to retain the guard in position.

If made of metal, my improved guard or strainer may constitute a permanent article of 55

2,136,755 table ware. On the other hand, if made of such material as paraffined paper or the like, it may be discarded after being used once, the same as a paper cup.

The invention, in its broader aspects, is not necessarily limited to a ring formed of a crimped strip, and in some cases, sufficient compressibility and. resilience may be obtained by making the guard in the form of a continuous ring, 10 rather than splitting it at one point, as indicated In Fig. 2. Making it in the form of a split ring, however, adapts it for use with glasses or receptacles of various sizes.