US1155178A - Drinking-cup. - Google Patents

Description

W. R. WATKINS.

DRINKING CUP. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. 19M.

1,155,]. 7%. Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

WILLIAM Rt WATKINS, OF WOODLAWN, ALABAMA.

DRINKING-CUP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. WATKINS, a citizen of the -United States, residing at "Woodlawn, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drinking-Cups, of which the following is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a foldable drinking cup of a simple construotion, which can be so arranged that it can be readily carried in the pocket when not in use and will lie fiat in the pocket and take up very little room.

The invention still further contemplates the provision of a drinking cup. and a frame for the cup body and which is so formed and constructed that when the cup is in use the frame will support the cup body in posision to permit of filling the cup with fluid and holding the cup in drinking position.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which simllar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the cup open and filled; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cup in a partiallycollapsed position.

Referring more particularly to the views, I disclose a cup body 10 which is preferably made of a material such as rubberized or waterproof cloth. The cup body is of a substantially rectangular shape when open and, owing to the material from which it is i made, can be readily folded. A frame 11 is provided for the cup body 10, said frame being preferably formed of a'single piece of spring-like wire looped at its medial portion to form a spring 12 which, with sides 13, constitutes a handle 14:- The free ends .of the sides are sewed or otherwise secured to the cup body 10 along opposed edges thereof and are preferably engaged with the cup body by having opposed edges of the cup body formed to provide channel-like portions 15 through which the free ends of the sides extend, as shown.

One of the sides 13 between the handle and free end engaging the cup body is formed to provide a loop 16 and the other side Specification of Letters lPatent. V Patented Sept]. 28, 1915. Application filed-November 13, 1914. Serial No. 871,927.

13 is formed to provide a hook 17 adapted to be engaged with the loop 16 so as to spread the free ends of the sides apart and hold the cup body in an open position, said free ends of the sides being adapted to move toward each other, due to the action of the spring 12 when the hook is disengaged from the loop 16. The sides furthermore have inwardly bent portions 18 which cross one another in order that when the sides of the handle are pressed together to secure the hook 17 to the loop 16, the free ends of the sides will be moved apart to secure the cup body in open and filling position.

When the hook 17 is disengaged from the loop 16 the cup body will be collapsed and can be wound around the free ends of the sides, after which the entire article can be placed in the pocket and will lie flat therein and take up very little room.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the cup consists of substantially two parts, namely, a cup body and a holding structure therefor, the same being formed of simple materials, thus permitting of manufacturing the cup at a slight cost.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A cup comprising a frame formed of a single piece of spring-like wire providing a handle and supports, of a cup body formed of a pliable material, said cup body being carried on the supports, with said frame normally closed to collapse said cup body, and means formed with the frame for holding said cup body in an open position and against the spring like action of the said frame;

2. A cup comprisinga frame formed of a single piece of spring-like wire providing a handle and supports, of a cup body formed of a pliable material, said cup body being carried on said supports, with said frame normally closed to collapse said cup body,ahook formed with the frame, and a loop formed with the frame and adapted to be engaged by the hook to hold the frame in an open position and secure the cup body in an open position.

3. A cup comprising a frame, a spring formed by a part of said frame and normally holding said frame in a closed position, a. cup body supported on said frame In testimon whereof I aflix my signature and adapted to be held open when said in presence 0 two witnesses.

frame is open and closed b the spring of WILLIAM R. WATKINS. the frame, and means forme with the frame Witnesses: 5 for securing said frame in open position A. A. VINES,

and holding said cup body open. JAS. C. WILLIAMS.

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