US2522952A - Tobacco container - Google Patents

Description

Sgph 19, 1950 J. KROHN 2,522,952

TOBACCO CONTAINER Filed Sept. 27, 1946 INVENTOR. wa 072E072,

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. Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ToBAooo CONTAINER Joseph Krohn, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,831

The present invention relates generally to containers for tobacco. More particularly the invention relates to that type of container which is designed to be carried in the pocket, comprises a comparatively thin open top body and a removable cover for the open top of the body, and has a water'saturated pad therein for maintaining the tobacco in the body in a humidified or moistened condition;

One object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container of this type which is generally an improvement upon and'has certain inherent advantages over previously designed containers and is characterized by the fact that it efiectively and efliciently fulfills its intended purpose and p is 'so designed or constructed that it may be produced at a low cost.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container of the type and character under consideration in'which the cover is provided with a continuous depending skirt and embodies a member which is disposed within the skirt, extends between the opposed side portions of the skirt and has a twofold purpose in that it serves to reinforce the side portions of the skirt against inward or outward fiexure and defines an open bottom compartment for the water saturated pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container of the last mentioned character in which the cover has the reinforcing and V compartment forming member situated or disposed adjacent one end thereof .and embodies at its other end a comparatively small discharge opening together with a hinged supplemental cover ,for closing such opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tobacco container which is generally of new and improved construction.

. Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present tobacco container will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth. and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. y

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in a which like numerals of reference denote corresponding. parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a perspective of a tobacco container embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section;

2 Claims. (G1. 312-31.1)

, user.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view; Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and illustrating in detail the construction, design and arrangement of the;

member that extends between the side portions of the skirt of the main cover and serves, not only to reenforce such portions against inward and outward flexure, but also to define an open bottom compartment for the water saturated pad; and

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 68 of Figure 2 and showing the manner in which the lower marginal portion of the main cover engages slidably the upper marginal portion of the side wall of the body when the main cover is in its closed or normal position.

The container which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is primarily designed or adapted to be filled with tobacco and carried in the users pocket and as its principal components or parts comprises abody 7, aremovable cover 8 and an absorbent pad 9.

The body 1 consists of a continuous side wall I0 and a bottom wall I l and these together define an open top compartment l2 for the tobacco. Preferably the body '5 is formed of molded socalled plastic material, such as Tenite, and is considerably wider and taller than it is thick. As shown in the drawing, the body is generally of arcuate cross section in order that when placed in the pocket it will conform to the body of the The bottom wall I! of the body is joined to, and formed integrally with, the lower end of the continuous side wall E0. The upper end of the side wall is provided with a continuous external transversely extending groove IS in order that it may be of less thickness than the remainder of the side wall. The lower end of thegroove 18 is defined by an external continuous upwardly extending shoulder I4. It is contemplated that the body 1 will be so proportioned or of such size that the compartment l2 therein will be of sufiicient capacity to store at least a days supply of tobacco.

Thecover 8 when in place serves as a closure for the open top storage compartment l2 which is defined by the side and bottom walls of the body. It is preferably formed of the same molded plastic material as the bod and consists of atop wall 15 and a continuous depending skirt l6. As shown in the drawing the cross sectional shape of the cover corresponds t that of the 3 body. The upper end of the continuous depending skirt [6 is joined to, and formed integrally with, the marginal portion of the cover top Wall IS. The lower end of the skirt is provided with a continuous internal groove i! in order that it may be of reduced thickness. It is adapted in connection with application of thecover 8 to slide downwards around the .upper end of the side wall it of the body I. The upper end of the groove H is defined by an internal downwardly facing shoulder E8. The height of the groove I! is the same as the groove l3 with the result that when thecover 8 is in its operative or closed position the lower edge of the skirt of the cover abuts against theshoulder 14 and the upper end edge of the body side wall I!) abuts against the shoulder [8. The cover is yieldingly held in its closed position by way of a plurality of connections consisting of outwardly projecting ribs l9 on the upper end of the body side wall l and inwardly facing notches 25] in the lower end of theskirt 16 of the cover. Preferably there are four rib and groove connections and these are arranged so that two are located at the end portions of the body side wall and the cover skirt and two are located adjacent the central parts of the side portions of the body side wall and cover skirt. When the cover is slid downwards into its closed position the ribs [9 snap into thenotches 20 and coact therewith yieldingly to hold the cover in place. The upper end of the body side wall and the lower end of the cover skirt are slightly resilient or flexible due to the fact that the are of reduced' thickness and hence in connection with sliding of the cover into place the ribs snap into the notches. In addition to the top wall l and the continuous depending skirt is the cover comprises a ring shapedmember 2|. This member is formed integrally with, and depends from, the top wall l5 and is located within and adjacent one end of the cover. It defines anopen bottom compartment 22 for the pad 9. The latter is formed of felt, spOnge rubber or any other suitable absorbent or absorptive material. It is adapted to be saturated with water in order that it serves to maintain the tobacco in the container in a humidified or moistened condition. The pad is preferably f cylindrical shape or conformation and is retained in theopen bottom compartment 22 either by way of cement or by being made oversize-d and compressed within the compartment. The lower end of the ring shapedmember 2| is flush with the downwardly facing shoulder l8, as best shown in Figure 2. The side portions of the member ar joined to, and formed integrally with, the adjacent parts of the side portions of the continuous depending skirt l6 and as a result the member serves, not only to define an open bottom compartment for the pad 9, but also to reenfo'rce the side portions of the skirt against inward or outward flexure. By having the lower end of themember 2! flush with the downwardly facing shoulder I8 the member does not interfere with slight fiexure of the lower end of the cover skirt in connection with application of the cover to the upper end of the body 1. The end of the cover top wall that is opposite the end having the ring shapedmember 2| is provided with a comparativel small discharge opening 23 and this is normall closed by asupplemental cover 2 3. The opening 23 when the supplemental cover is in its open position, permits the tobacco in the container to be poured out of the container into a pipe or other instrumentality for use in smoking of the tobaccQ- 6supplemental cover 24 is shaped conformably to the discharge opening 23 and is hinged at its inner end by wa of apin 25. The central portion of the pin extends loosely through a transverse horizontally extendinghole 26 in the inner end of thesupplemental cover 24 and the ends of the pin are fixed withinholes 21 in the adjacent parts of the side portion of the cover skirt l6. By reason of the fact that the ring shapedmember 2| reenforces the central portion and upper end of the cover skirt l6 against inward or downward fiexure there is no likelihood of the ends of thepin 25 becoming loose so far as theholes 21 are concerned. The outer end of thesupplemental cover 24 is provided with a dependingtongue 28 and this is adapted to lap the adjacent end portion of the skirt of the cover when the supplemental cover is in its closed position. A connection in the form of an outwardly extendingrib 29 on said adjacent end portion of the skirt of the cover and a coacting notch 30 in the inner surface of thetongue 28 serves yieldingly to hold the supplemental cover in its closed position. When the cover is swung into its closed position therib 29 snaps into the groove 30 and coacts therewith yieldingl to hold the supplemental cover closed.

When it is desired to fill the open top compartment I2 in the container body 1 or moisten the pad 9 themain cover 8 is removed from the body by sliding it upwards relatively to the body. When the user of the container desires to pour tobacco into a pipe, for example, thesupplemental cover 24 is swung upwards into its open position and the container is then shifted into a downwardly inclined position so that the tobacco pours through thedischarge opening 23 into the pipe. After filling of the pipe the container is closed by swinging thesupplemental cover 24 downwards into its closed position wherein it is fricticnally or yieldingly held in place by the rib and notch connection between the dependingtongue 28 and the adjacent end portion of the skirt of the cover.

The herein described tobacco container effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that the ring shaped member has a twofold purpose in that it defines the openbottom compartment 22 for the pad 9 and also so reenforces the side portions of the depending skirt of the cover that such ortions are precluded from flexing inwards or outwards and disturbing the mounting of the ends of thepin 25 by which thesupplemental cover 24 is hinged. Because of the design and construction of the various parts the container as a whole may be produced at a comparatively low cost.

Whereas the container has been defined as a medium for retaining or storing tobacco it is to be understood that other material may be retained in it. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a container adapted to store and dispense tobacco or like loose material and comprising a comparatively thin open top body, and a removable cover shaped conformably to, and adapted to close, the open top of the body, embodying a top wall and in addition a continuous depending skirt having the upper end thereof connected to the marginal portion of the top wall and its lower end provided with an internal continuous groove for receiving the upper end of the body, and having disposed therein a vertical member extending between, and connected directly to, opposed parts of the side portions of the skirt, having the lower margin thereof flush with the upper portion of the groove, and arranged and designed to reenforce said side portions and also to define an open bottom compartment for an absorbent pad.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a container adapted to store and dispense tobacco or like loose material and comprising a comparatively thin hollow open top body, and a removable cover shaped conformably to, and adapted to close, the open top of the body, formed of molded material, embodying a top wall and in addition a continuous skirt having the upper end thereof connected to the marginal portion of the top wall and its lower end provided with a continuous internal groove for receiving the upper end of the body when the cover is in its closed or operative position, and having disposed therein a ring shaped member formed integrally with, and depending from, said top wall, having its lower end flush with the upper portion of the groove and diametrically opposite portions thereof connected directly to opposite parts of the side portions of the skirt and arranged and designed to reenforoe said side portions and also to define an open bottom cylindrical compartment for an absorbent pad.

JOSEPH KROHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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