US2900760A - Straining and stem holding structure - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 25, 1959 E. s. TUPPER 2,900,760

STRAINING AND STEM HOLDING STRUCTURE Filed April 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheeti INVENTOR. j E'QRL 6- T PPER BY I fil -mag) Aug. 25, 1959 E. s. TUPPER STRAINING AND STEM HOLDING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1956 INVENTOR. Ens s. TUPPER STRAINING AND STEM HOLDING STRUCTURE Application April 17, 1956, Serial N0. 578,656

6 Claims. (Cl. 41-41 This invention relates to straining and sitting structures also capable of serving as holders for stemmed articles.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a unit capable of interengagement with similar units for the aforementioned service; each unit having a perforated portion adapted to function as straining, sieving and holding elements such as for fluids, comminuted solids and for the stalks of flowers and other articles having stems capable of penetration through said perforated portions.

A further object of the invention resides in the structure of one of such units provided with a peripheral engaging edge and also an adjacent and inwardly disposed annular wall removably engageable with the engaging edge of a superposing similar unit of proportional and smaller dimensions.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a unit to serve as a cover member for the uppermost unit, and being of the same structure except for the elimination of the annular wall of the other units.

Another feature of the invention resides in the use of any of such units independently or in interengagement with each other; said unit or plurality of units also being capable of interengagement with the rim of a holding vessel.

A further feature of the invention resides in the formation of the structure described from a suitable plastic having flexible or deformable characteristics, being inert chemically, odorless and capable of sealable juncture of the component units and with a holding vessel. It has been found that polyethylene has been the most suitable plastic for purposes of the invention, but other plastics will also function.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing illustrative forms of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a form of integrated structure showing a plurality of graded straining and/or stem holding units in interengagement, the uppermost unit having a closure unit in partially open position, the lowermost unit being in engagement with a holding vessel. 1

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 across the plane 2--2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective showing the structure of Figure 1 in use as a flour sifter.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective partly in section showing the use of the bottom or an intermediate unit applied to a vessel containing liquid and solid contents for purposes of straining the contents, the annular side wall of the unit serving as an annular pouring lip.

Figure 5 is an elevational view partly in section States atent 2,900,760 Patented Aug. 25, 1959 showing the use of a plurality of interengaged units including a top closure member or unit, said structure serving as a holder for the stems of flowers.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred forms shown,numeral 10 indicates generally a holding type of vessel to which one or more of the inter-engageable units are applicable.

The top closure unit generally indicated bynumeral 11 consists of ahorizontal wall 12 having straining orstem holding perforations 13 intermediate thereof, thesaid wall 12 preferably having an upwardly extending and inverted grooved peripheral edge. Such edge is shown as having aninclined side wall 14, atop wall 15 and a spaced and more sturdy or thickenedouter wall 16.Outer wall 16 is preferably inwardly inclined on the inner face to effectuate sealing engagement with a vessel or complementary unit wall as will hereinafter appear.Outer wall 16 of the grooved edge has a finger engageablehorizontal flange 17 at the lower end thereof, said flange terminating in a downwardly extending annular supportingbase 18. Theclosure unit 11 may serve independently, as a covering for a plurality of interengaging intermediate units, or as a covering forvessel 10.

The other units of the interengaging structure are similarly proportioned and of diflerent over-all dimensions and vary from theclosure unit 11 by an upwardly projecting annular or continuous wall.

Thus, as in the structure ofclosure unit 11, an uppermost intermediate unit of larger over-all dimensions for interengagement has ahorizontal wall 12a, perforations 13a, a grooved inverted edge having an inner wall 14a, atop wall 15a, a spacedouter wall 16a, an outwardly extending flange at the bottom thereof 17a and a downwardly extendingannular base portion 18a. However, as a differentiation with respect toclosure member 11,horizontal wall 12a is provided with an upwardly projecting andcontinuous side wall 20a disposed adjacent the bottom of inner edge Wall 1411, the upper portion as shown being outwardly flared for scalable engagement with the grooved edge of a superposing unit. Thus,wall 20a is at least engaged by the top andside walls 15 and 16 of the grooved edge ofclosure member 11 as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Another similar underlying member but of larger over-all dimensions is shown as having a horizontal wall 12b, perforations 13b, a grooved edge having inner wall 14b, a top wall 15b, a spaced outer wall 16b, a

horizontal flange 17b and a downwardly extending an- I nular base portion 18b and a continuous upwardly projecting side wall 19b adjacent the bottom of edge inner wall 14b. Side wall 19b is shown as being engaged by the top andside walls 15a and 16a of the superposing unit.

As seen in Figure 5, the interengagement of the units described providesperforations 13, 13a and 13b to mount stalks 2 1 containing exposedflowers 22 in staggered openings for a tighter grasp. Here the structure rests on annular base 17b of the lowermost unit.

Of course, a single unit may be used in conjunction withvessel 10 as shown in Figure 4 illustrating pouring of lemonade 27 in a vessel A and serving to strain pits orlemon wedges 28. It is preferable that one of the units having the projecting continuous side wall such as 19a be used instead ofclosure unit 11 because a pouring rim is thereby provided. As shown,vessel 10 has acurved portion 25 disposed below the flaredrim 26 of the vessel for leverage finger support for applying and removing the engaging unit.

It is to be observed that the structure of Figure 5 is also applicable tovessel 10 as shown in Figure 3 to serve as a sifter for flour or the like. Efficiency is increased by a three-step sifting operation. Vessel as shown has a side wall 23 a bottom peripheral bead 29 and a raisedbottom wall 30. There may be a series ofbuttress members 31 between the underside of the flange 24-25 and theside Wall 23 for giving rigidity to the support of the flange.

When the units are interengaged as shown in Figure 3, the device is usable as an efficient sifter for introducing flour into a bowl 32 from a flour package 33.

The combinations of Figures 1 and 4 may also be used as a flower stand with the stem bottoms immersed in thevessel 10 containing water.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the material, structure, single and plural interengaging use of the units with and without a vessel may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A perforated yieldable plastic closure for a vessel wall for straining vessel contents and for aligning penetrating stalked articles supported in the vessel, comprising a central perforated wall, an upwardly extending, inverted and grooved engaging edge for said vessel wall, said edge having an inner wall, a top wall, a thickened outer wall spaced from the inner wall, a horizontal flange extending outwardly from the lower end of said outer wall for finger engagement to spread said grooved engaging edge for removal from said vessel wall, said central perforated wall having an upwardly extending continuous wall projecting above the edge top wall and disposed adjacent the bottom of the edge inner wall adapted for engagement of another similar closure.

2. A perforated yieldable plastic closure for a vessel wall for straining vessel contents and for aligning penetrating stalked articles supported in the vessel, comprising a horizontal wall having a central perforated portion, a peripheral engaging rim depending from the periphery of said horizontal wall and engageable with the vessel wall having an outwardly extending finger engageable flange at the lower end thereof, said horizontal wall adjacent the rim having a vertically projecting continuous wall adapted for engagement of another similar closure.

3. In a plastic flower stand, structure including a plurality of spaced, perforated horizontal and parallel wall members of graded over-all sizes, each of said wall members having an upwardly projecting continuous side wall and an outer peripheral engaging edge flange projecting downwardly for removable, frictional and telescopic sealing engagement with the side wall of the lower horizontal wall member.

4. In a plastic flower stand, structure as set forth in claim 3 having a closure member for the uppermost horizontal wall member and provided 'with a perforated horizontal wall and a peripheral engaging edge flange projecting downwardly to removably and telescopically engage the continuous side Wall of the uppermost horizontal wall. member.

5. In a plastic sifter structure for comminuted products including a holding vessel, a plurality of spaced perforated horizontal and parallel Wall members of overall graded sizes, each of said wall members having an upwardly projecting continuous side wall and an outer peripheral engaging edge flange projecting downwardly for removable, frictional and telescopic sealing engagement with the sidewall of the lower horizontal wall member, the peripheral engaging flange edge of the lowermost horizontal wall member being removably engageable with said vessel.

6. In a plastic sifter structure as set forth in claim 5 having a closure member for the uppermost horizontal wall member, said closure member being provided with a perforated horizontal wall, a continuous and downwardly projecting engaging edge flange to removably engage the continuous side wall of the underlying horizontal wall member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,060,970 Brown May 6, 1913 1,706,249 Naum Mar. 19, 1929 1,778,150 Freeburg Oct. 14, 1930 2,146,173 Cooper Feb. 7, 1939 2,266,270 Roth Dec. 16, 1941 2,278,894 Paulson Apr. 7, 1942 2,695,115 Roop Nov. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 104,432 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1917

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