US2047582A - Auxiliary dish - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1936. A. HALE 2,047,582

AUXILIARY DISH Filed March 1, 1955 Zhwentor B Ajth/urjglzla ym/M (Ittorneg Patented July 14, 1936 AUXILIARY msn A thur Hale, 'Rowlandsville', Md." Application March 1, msaxse'rialinoaasdr 2 claims- .-('o1. 65- -15) i This invention; pertains'sto plates and" dishes andeparticularlyrto sidedishes." In the use of side dishes on-"a dinner-tabla a great deal of trouble has:been-:experiencedzby housewlves and' waiters g I twosid'es; one being concave and the otherconvex. 5

5 in commercial eatin'grplaces, due to overcrowding theitable or, if two or more side-dishes are'used, thsinability: to placet-he sid'e dishes Withineasy reach of the diner. 1:.

Therefore, it is an object'of this'invention" to rprovid'e' a-dish 'or a side dish, as dishes of this type are called, which will permit two or more side dishes to be placed within reach of the diner in addition to the customary dinner plate, bread and butter plate and the salad dish.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dish, that if used with several other dishes, will not overcrowd the table, and make use of an appreciable amount of space that is normally lost due to the contour of the dishes now in common use.

Another and further object of my invention is to provide a dish or plate that due to its advantageous shape will fit or nestle between the other dishes on the table.

With these and various other objects in view,

the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed. out in the specification, drawing and claims ap pended hereto.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of my device.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a table showing the use to be made of my invention.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the side dish I0, is preferably three sided as indicated at I2. As will be noticed, the sides of the dish are concave with radii of substantially the radius of the average vegetable dish. The

corners l4, as shown in the drawing, are rounded,

although it is apparent that they could have a sharp or squared corner. The dish I!) is provided with the usual side construction l6 and base Hi.

In the modifications shown at 24 and 26, which are similar in construction to my preferred form, I have indicated a four-sided dish with all sides concave while the three-sided dish 28 is shown 55 with two concave sides and one straight side.

The "straight being'intended to conform to edge of the :table or to the straight side of anotherdish; .1

Still another modification is shown at 26 having e The. construction of my dishes is designed to: w

enhance the appearance of a table'when set by making possible the utilizationof the maximum amount'of lost space on the table due to the shape of the dishesn'ow' in general'use. 11 10 As indicated in Figure 3, I have made use of this lost space by providing a compact yet decorative management by the use of my unique construction of dishes. It is intended that the sides of my dishes I0, 24 and 28 conform more 5 or less to the outer periphery or sides of the neighboring dishes which, of course, would not be possible if only the usual dishes were used.

An essential characteristic of the present invention is the provision of an auxiliary dish which 20 may fit within and utilize to the fullest extent the space necessarily incident to the grouping of several conventional rounded dishes or plates.

When dining at a restaurant, a guest occupying but a single seat at a table generally provided 25 for several guests, is necessarily restricted as to the space available for the main and side dishes of his order unless he is to encroach upon the space of other guests. The conventional plates and dishes employed in a restaurant are circular 30 in plan or partly circular and when grouped in a reasonably restricted area present spaces between the adjacent margins of three or more such dishes which heretofore have been unavailable for use. 35

It is customary to serve side dishes which are generally smaller than the main dishes but which nevertheless must be capable of properly receiving the required material. In the use of such side dishes, together with the main dishes, the lack of appropriate grouping or possibility of such grouping of the side or main dishes ordinarily compels the waiter to place the side dishes out of ordinarily convenient reach of the diner, notwithstanding the fact that under the closest possible grouping of the main dishes, there is a very considerable space between such main dishes which is not and heretofore could not be utilized.

With the present special dish shaped so that 50 its peripheral edge will conform reversibly to the shape of the edge of the main dish throughout that portion adjacent the heretofore unused space, it is possible to utilize this space and place therein a dish which will serve not only to hold material but will present the maximum receiving capacity for the available space and serve as a conventional side dish. Thus, several side dishes may be grouped within the area ordinarily occupied by the main dishes alone and thus not only is the normally required area for the service of the guests reduced but the side dishes are more conveniently within his reach while, of course, any dish, either the conventional main dishes or the improved side dish, can be readily independently removed from its occupied space at will without interference from any other dish or dishes.

The essential characteristic of the improved dish is the shape of the edges which reversibly conform to the margin of the adjacent main dish, primarily with a view to not only occupying the heretofore unused space but utilizing that space to the maximum through the particular type and form of the new dish.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the essential characteristic of the improved receiver or container of the present invention is in its base, for that is the element which fits within the heretofore unusable space. This base must approach or be substantially triangular in plan and the respective edges defining the triangular outline must be concaved with the radius of curvature corresponding to the curvature of the plates defining the space in which this particular base is to fit, for it is only through this provision that the new receiver or container may be made to occupy this heretofore unused space which is the essential result sought.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device, the operation thereof and the manner of applying the same to use will be readily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of the invention.

'What I claim is:

l. A three-sided dish or like food receiver having a concaved periphery and adapted to reversibly conform to a portion of the periphery of the average main dish.

2. A food or like receiver having a base substantially triangular in plan with each of the sides of the base concaved, with the curvature of the concavity conforming to the curvature of the perimeter of a main dish, whereby the base may be fitted in the space provided between adjacent main dishes, with the concavity of the sides of the base conforming in curvature and capable of being arranged to substantially occupy the space provided between two or more main dishes, the formation of the base permitting convenient removal and replacement of the receiver without disturbing the main dishes.

ARTHUR HALE.

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