US553846A - Sanitary communion-service - Google Patents

Description

4 SheetsS heet 1.

(No Model.)

G. FORBES. SANITARY GOMMUNION SERVICE. No. 553,846. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

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' C. FORBES.

SANITARY GOMMUNION SERVICE. I No. 553,846. Patented Feb. 4,1896.

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('No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. FORBES.

SANITARY COMM-UNION SERVICE.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

0. FORBES. SANITARY GOMMUNION SERVIGE.

Patgntd Feb; 4,1396.

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mtnesses ANDREW BJSRAHAM. PHDTO-UTNO WASNI NUDNQC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FORBES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SANITARY COMMUNlON-SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,846, dated February 4, 1896. Application filed July 13,1894. Serial No. 517,477. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, CHARLES FORBES, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Rochester, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sanitary Communion-Service, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to the apparatus or service employed in churches for administering the sacrament of the Lords Supper,

as part thereof, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Several of the said novel combinations of parts comprise cup-holders so constructed as to hold the individual cups in ranks, which, together with a central horizontal handle at top, are parallel with the sides of a narrow rack, so as to facilitate passing the rack from hand to hand in the pews of a church; also in ranks of uniform length exposed at the sides of the rack, so as to provide for filling the cups by ranks with rapidity and with reduced exposure to the atmosphere as compared with other arrangements.

Another feature on which certain claims are based is the adaptation of the cup-holders to so coact with handle extensions ona peculiar style of cup as to keep the handles outermost, to limit the descent of the cups within bottomless cup-receiving holes, and to assist in steadying the cups within the rack.

Another feature preferably common to each of the cup-holders hereinafter described and to each bread-tray combined therewith is dust-excluding covers, each cup-cover serving conveniently for a rank of cups at least, while those of the entire rack may be manipulated simultaneously, so as to provide for readily filling the cups in si'iu as Well as to provide for readily inserting and withdrawing the cups individually. Such dustexcluding covers serve to prevent foreign matter and germs of such diseases as diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles and other eruptive diseases from falling into the cups or upon the bread from the clothing of the communicants. They also admit of the cups being filled the day before communion, as they serve to prevent any evaporation of the wine after they are lowered, and to exclude insects and motes of every description.

Four sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof.

Figure I of the drawings is a perspective view of a combined cup-rack and bread-tray with its cupcovers elevated and two ranks of cups removed. Fig. II is a perspective view of one of the cups, on alarger scale. Fig. III is a vertical cross-section through said combined cup-rack and bread-tray, Fig. I, on the same scale as Fig. II. Fig. IV is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line a b, Fig. III. Fig. V is a half vertical cross-section of a sanitary cup-rack, illustrating certain modifications. Fig. VI is a fragmentary elevation projected from Fig.V. Fig.VII is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 0 cl, Fig. V. Fig. VIII is a fragmentary end elevation illustrating additional modifications. Fig. IXis a sec tional plan view projected from Fig. VIII. Fig. X is a fragmentary end View illustrating another modification. Fig. XI is a fragmentary vertical cross-section illustrating additional modifications. Figs. XII and XIII are respectively top and end views, both of them fragmentary, illustrating additional modifications. Fig. XIV is a fragmentary sectional elevation illustrating additional modifications. Fig. XV is an end elevation of another modified cup-rack. Fig. XVI is a fragmentary vertical section at e f, Fig. XV. Fig. XVII is a handle detail projected from Fig. XV. Fig. XVIII is a vertical cross-section of a pew-rack for empty cups, and Fig. XIX is a sectional elevation of a suitable cup-filling device.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

The term cup-rack, as hereinbefore and hereinafter employed, is intended to include the upright form represented at A in Figs. I,-

III, V, VIII, and XI, and also flatter or traylike forms, such as the one represented at A in Fig. XV; the term bread-tray to include not only the specific rectangular form represented at B in Figs. I and III, but also any other approved form capable of being combined with a cup-rack, and the term cup to include cups having handles, as shown at C in Figs. 1, II, and III, and at C in Fig. V, of metal or of glass or the like, and also han dleless glasses, as represented at (Q in FigsVIII, IX, X, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVIII, and XIX, or similar cups of metal or the like, and goblet-shaped chalices, as represented at (J in Fig. XI, or any other approved form of individ ual communion-cup.

In the specific combination represented by Figs. I to IV, inclusive, the cup-rack A comprises a rectangular bottom frame 1, a pair ofend uprights 2, and cup-holders 3 in the form of successive terraces one above another, all of which are conveniently made of suitable wood and rigidly united with each other; and each of said cup-holders hasvertical holes 4 fitted to the bottoms of its complement of the cups 0, and gage-surfaces 5 at its outer edges which coact with downward extensions .6 of the cup-handles to keep the handles uniformly outermost when the cups are in the rack, as in Figs. I and III, and to aid in supporting the cups against tilting, and also to limit the descent of thecups within such holes. (See Fig. III.) The cups are thus held in ranks of uniform length, preferably of ten each, parallel with each other at the respective sides of the rack and one above another, so that the base of the rack maybe as narrow as practicable, in order to economize room on the communiontable and to facilitate passing the rack in the pews.

A flat dust-excluding cup-cover 7, of metal or other suitable material, extends over each rank of cups'. A pair ofU-shaped slides 9 are guided byvertical grooves 10 in the inner faces of theend uprights 2, and are provided withnotches 11, Fig. IV, fitted to therunners 8 at the respective ends of the cup-rack, and detent-springs 12, of wire, attached at their ends to said uprights 2, engage with central notches 13 in the runners S to keep the covers normally above both ranks of the cups beneath, as in full lines in Fig. III. By lifting on the two slid-es 9 the cup'covers may be raised simultaneously to the elevated positions in which they are shown in Fig. I and in full lines in Fig. III, and when they are thus lifted each pair of covers may be slid horizontally, as represented by dotted lines at 7 in Fig. III, to expose the ranks of cups individuallyto a greater extent when the en ps are to be filled. hen the cup-covers are lowered upon the cups, as at 7 in Fig. III, downwardly-projectingflanges 14 coact with those ranks of cups which are most widely separated, as at 149' in Fig. III, tokeep the cups from tilting inward, and all the cup-covers perform their other and principal functions hereinbefore set forth.

Immediately above the topmost of thecupcovers 7 abread-tray B is suitably supported between the upper ends of theend uprights 2, being constructed with dust-excludingcovers 15, which remain open, as at 15 in Fig. III, only long enough to introduce the portions of bread, corresponding in number with the cups at the respective sides of the cuprack, and while they are being taken therefrom by the individual communicants. These covers are conveniently hinged, as at 16 in Fig. III, and the tray is conveniently divided by a centrallongitudinal partition 17, Fig. III, into two compartments, one beneath each of thecovers 15.

A centralhorizontal handle 18, parallel with the sides of the rack, is rigidly connected with the upper ends of theend uprights 2 bystaywires 19, so as to rigidly unite said end uprights and to serve in common for the cuprack and bread-tray, which are thus combined in one convenient article of symmetrical proportions.

In the modified arrangement represented by Figs. V to VII, inclusive, the cup-rack A comprises a wooden bottom 1 and enduprights 2, substantially similar to those of the form above described, cup-covers 7 andcoverrunners 8, identical with those above described, and also the above-described centralhorizontal handle 18 and handle stays 19. Instead of the wooden cup-supports above described, metallic cup-supports 3 coact with downwardly-projeeting handle extensions (3, as in the combination above described, and with those portions of the respective cups underlying said handle extensions, and are furthermore constructed withvertical notches 20, Fig. VI, to coact with wrists 21 (see Fig. II) connecting the lower end of each handle with the body of the cup immediately above thehandle extension 6, so that the cup may be wholly supported from this one point, and thevertical slides 9, instead of being made of round wire, as in Figs. I, III and IV, are made of flat metal, (see Fig. VII,) so as to readily accommodatelarger notches 11 for thecoverrunners 8.Suitable grooves 10 for these slides are readily formed by saw-kerfs in theend uprights 2, and wire springs 22 within said grooves, coacting with the inner edges of said slides within said grooves, serve at once to hold the slides and the runners by friction against accidental displacement.

Asupplemental cover 23 is provided withhinges 24;, and supported by amiddle portion 25 between the upper ends of theend uprights 2, which are provided withstops 26 to support the respective leaves of the cover in horizontal position. They are turned. up temporarily while the cups are being filled and serve at other times to aid in preventing any accumulation of dust on the cups beneath when the cup-rack is not provided with a bread-try at top.

In the modified cup-rack represented by Figs. VIII and IX, handleless cups or glasses C as shown, or said cups C or or C, if

preferred, are held between pairs offingers 3, which partly embrace the cup and are preferably elastic, so that the cup may be withdrawn laterally from between them without damage if not first lifted so as to free it, such fingers being conveniently supported byhorizontal bars 27, as in Fig. IX, between the end uprights 2 of the rack. Said end uprights are provided withslots 28, havingmetal linings 29, to admit the shanks of a pair ofthumblugs 30, by which a pair ofvertical slides 31 are operated, and the cup-covers 7 are hinged tohorizontal bars 32 carried by said vertical slides. By screwing the shanks of said thumb -lugs into saidslides 31, as represented in Fig. IX, provision isreadily made for fastening the covers in their elevated positions, (represented by dotted lines in Fig. VIII,) by a slight turn of the thumb-lugs. By hinging the covers they are adapted to be turned up and lowered individually, as represented by the dotted arcs at 7 Z in Fig. VIII, for the filling operation. They are simultaneously elevated by lifting on the loosened thumb-lugs 30 to facilitate the withdrawal of the cups by the communicants.

18, Fig. VIII, may represent a horizontal handle at top, of the same length as the rack, or longer, if desired, and 19 either curved or vertical rods connecting the handle with the respective end uprights 2.

In Fig. X, 2 represents the rod-shaped end uprights of another modified rack; 3 3, cupholders similar to those last described, Figs. VIII and IX; 7 7, cup-covers; 19, the handlerods of the rack; 27, a horizontal bar supporting said cup-holders, and 33 hinges attaching said covers to said horizontal bar, so that the hinges are located close to the cups 0 as they hang in theirholders 3, and provide for freeing the cups from their holders by tilting, as in dotted lines in Fig. X, and for withdrawing them from beneath the covers without first elevating th e latter relatively to the cups.

The modified rack represented by Fig. XI comprisesend uprights 2, and cup-holders 3 in the form of horizontal shelves provided with slotted or split stud-pins 34, to which sockets in the bottoms and stems of gobletshaped chalices C are fitted. The slots adapt the pins to act as retaining-springs. It further comprises cup-covers 7, each common to two ranks of cups, and a simple device whereby the covers are simultaneously elevated and swung to either side, as in dotted lines in the figure, to facilitate filling the cups and their withdrawal from the rack by the communicants. To render thecovers 7 thus movable, they are rigidly attached to vertical end bars These are connected bypivots 36 to. shortparallel links 37, two or more to each bar, and saidlinks 37 are pivoted to theend uprights 2 by countersunkscrews 38, for

which other suitable pivots may of course be substituted.

taneously to either side by lifting either cover All the covers are moved simuland gently drawing or pressing it away from the side of the rackwhich is to be opened.

In Figs. XII and XIII, 3 represents a cupholder in the form of a shelf having segmental notches 39, open at its outer edge, and of a diameter intermediate between the lesser and greater diameters of the cups G (or O or 0 so that the cups are suspended in their holders, as in the modifications represented by Figs. VIII, IX and X, while at the same time the holders are rigid, and the cups are freed from them by lifting them slightly and then drawing them outward,as represented by dotted lines at (l in Fig. XIII; and 7 represents a dust-excluding cup-cover projecting rigidly at a sufficient height above a rank of cupsto provide for readily withdrawing the cups from beneath it. 40 40, Fig. XII, represent nails or pins to keep wooden cupsupporting shelves so notched from warping or splitting. V

In Fig. XIV, 3 represents a cup holder in the form of a stamped sheet-metal shelf having a cup-shaped socket for each cup; 7 represents a flexible cup-cover; 41 represents a roller upon which the cover may be wound to expose the cups when they are to be filled or distributed, and 42 represents a stiffening and weighting wire at the outer edge of the cover. swer for two or more ranks of cups, if desired.

The tray-shaped cup-rack A (represented by Figs. XV, XVI, and XVII) comprisescupholders 3 in the form of double terraces, provided withvertical holes 4, as in the arrangement first described, but preferably of 'sufficient size to allow handleless cups C to set more deeply in them, as in Fig. XV, so as to be steadily supported, and with the edges of successive terraces retreating inward the Width of the two ranks of cups supported by the terraces beneath, and with the tops of the successive terraces on a level with the tops of the cups supported by the terraces next below. WVhen the cup-holders 3 are of wood, theirholes 4 are preferably lined with metal, as at 43 in Fig. XVI, to preserve the diameter of hole. Cup-covers 7 for all exceptthe uppermost cups'are conveniently hinged to the outer edges of the cup-holders 3. Those of the uppermost cups are hinged in like manner to a middle bar 44. The hinges of all the covers in this arrangement are preferably so formed that the covers can be turned up, as in. dotted lines at 7 a in Fig. XV, to facilitate filling the cups by ranks, or, as at 7, while the cups beneath are being removed, as in dotted lines at O and can be dropped down out of the way, as at 7, when all the cups beneath have been removed. A suitable base 45 and spacing-blocks 46 between the lower- A cover of this description may anmost and middle cup-holders, a central longitudinal frame-piece 47, a horizontallongitudinal handle 18 at top, and a pair of curved handle-bars 19, pinned fast at their outer ends within said frame-piece47, complete the cup-rack. The longitudinalbar 44 which supports the uppermost cup-covers is conveniently fastened to vertical portions of said handle-bars 19, with the aid of collars l8 on the latter.

To receive the emptied handleless cups C, especially when these are of thin glass, as represented in the drawings, an empty-cup rack E, Fig. XVIII, may be temporarily suspended in each pew, the same to be composed of a bottom 49, a back 50, and a top 51, united with each other, said top having a suificient number of holes 52 fitted to the cups at their upper edges and being so located above the bottom 49 as to inclose and protect the thin lips of the cups. Hanging bars having keyhole-slots are represented at 53, and woodscrews to coact therewith are represented at 54. Other forms of the individual cups may be cared for after they have been emptied in any approved way.

For filling the cups after they have been arranged in the cup-racks A or A so as to fill all the cups in one rank at one operation and with uniformity and neatness, a filling device, Fig. XIX, adapted to be so used, preferably forms part of the sanitary communion service, and is conveniently constructed as follows: A. bottle F of suitable capacity is constructed with avertical neck 55 at its upper end and with ahorizontal neck 56 at or near its bottom. A horizontal distributing-tube D is tightly fitted to said horizontal neck by means of abushing 57 within the latter, and is provided at bottom with a series of outlets 58 corresponding in number with a rank of cups and as to distance apart with the centers of the cups, and a stopper 59 closes the outer end of the tube. In filling the bottle F it is tilted about forty-five degrees, when the first outlet in the distributing tube D will be sufficiently high to prevent any escape therethrough while the wine is being poured in. Ahollow stopper 60 and an air-tube 61 extending therethrough are now inserted into and through thevertical neck 55, as in Fig. XIX. The bottle F is grasped in one hand and the outer end of the distributing-tube D with the other, and after the outlets 58 are located above a rank of cups, as in Fig. XIX, the finger is removed from the upper end of the equalizing-tube 61 and the wine flows simultaneously into all the cups. The flowis stopped byreplacing the finger 011 the upper end of thetube 61. The distributing-tube D is then located above another rank of cups. These are filled in like manner, and thus the filling operation proceeds until all the cups of the rack have been filled, after which its cup-covers are lowered and it is placed on the communion table or altar until it is required in the distribution of the elements. The cup'covers are then elevated, as in Fig. I, and each communicant is permitted to take a cup from the cup-rack, together with a piece of bread from the bread-tray, if the two are combined, as in Figs. I and III; and the distribution proceeds in this manner until all have partaken,

the empty cups being cared for as above.

the bread-tray 13 maybe attached to the coverlifting slides 9, and may be adapted to slide laterally, like the cup-covers 7, to facilitate at once access to the cups beneath in the filling operation and the removal of the bread tray for cleansing. The cup-holders may extend beyond the end uprights at the ends of the rack, with the end cups in transverse ranks and with covers correspondingly constructed. The cups G, when held between spring-fingers 3, Figs. VIII and IX, as above described, may be grasped thereby near the top, like the cups 0, or preferably at. the base, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The aforesaid filling device,Fig. XIX,forms no part of my present invention, but is shown and described toillustrate a distinctive function of the sanitary cup-racks as provided with cup-holders for individual cups in ranks of uniform length, and with cup-covers adapted to expose the cups so that they may be filled in situ and a rank at each filling operation, as above described.

Having thus described the said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification 1. 111 a sanitary communion-service, a port able cup-rack, for individual cups, having cup-holders which locate the cups in ranks of uniform length parallel to the sides of the rack, and dust-excluding cup-covers, forming part of the rack, which are movable to expose the ranks of cups within the rack, whereby all the cups of each rank may be filled at one operation by a. suitable filling device, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

2. In a sanitary communion-service, a portable cup-rack, for individual communioncups, having a vertical series of cup-holders which locate the cups in ranks one above another parallel to the sides of the rack, a like series of dust-excluding cup-covers each of which is common to a rank of cups and is movable relatively to the cup-holder beneath to expose the cups, and a central horizontal handle at top parallel to the sides of the rack, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

3. A sanitary cup-rack having cup-holders for individual communion-cups in parallel ranks one above another, dust-excluding cupcovers each of which is common to a rank of cups and. is movable vertically relatively to the cup-holder beneath, and means for raising and lowering all the cup-covers simultaneously, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

4. A sanitary cup-rack having cup-holders for individual communion-cups in parallel ranks, and dust-excluding cup-covers each of which is common to a rank of cups and is movable vertically and laterally to expose the cups beneath for the filling operation.

5. The combination, in a sanitary cup-rack, of dust-excluding cup-covers provided at their ends With horizontal runners, vertical slides notched to form guides for said runners, and vertically grooved end uprights forming guides for said slides, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

"6. The combination, in a sanitary cup-rack, of dust-excluding cup-covers provided at their ends with notched horizontal runners, vertical slides notched to form guides for said runners, vertically-grooved end uprights forming guides for said slides, and detent-springs coacting with said runners to fasten the cupcovers in their central positions, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

7. A sanitary cup-rack having cup-holders constructed with bottomless cup-receiving holes and with gage -surfaces at the outer edges of the cup-holders, in combination with individual communion-cups having handles and constructed with doWnwardly-proj ecting handle-extensions which coact with said gagesurfaces to keep the handles outermost and to assist in supporting the cups, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

8. A sanitary cup-rack for individual communion-cups having cup-holders arranged in successive terraces for ranks of cups at different levels, dust-excludin g cup-covers at the respective levels, a covered bread-tray supported above the topmost cup-covers, and end uprights common to all, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

9. A sanitary cup-rack for individual communion-cups having cup-holders arranged in successive terraces for ranks of cups at different levels, dust-excluding cup-covers at the respective levels cover elevating devices common to all said cup-covers, a covered bread-tray above the topmost cup-covers, and end uprights common to all, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

10. A combined cup-rack and bread-tray composed of a bottom frame, a pair of end uprights, ahorizontal handle at top, cup-holders for individual cups in ranks one above another at both sides of the rack, and a breadtray immediately beneath the handle, all of which may be fixedly united with each other, movable dust-excluding cup-covers above the respective cup-holders, cover-lifting devices at the ends of the cup-covers, and movable covers for the bread-tray, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

CHARLES FORBES. Witnesses:

EDWARD WEBsTER, F. M. ELLERY.

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