US2884122A - Toothpick holders - Google Patents

Description

' April 28, 1959 K. H. SEVERSQN TOOTHPICK HOLDERS Filed July 3. 1958 INVENTOR. KERIYHT u. sevzason United States Patent TOOTHPICK HOLDERS Kermit H. Severson, Wayzata, Minn. Application July 3, 1958, Serial No. 746,491

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-37) This invention relates to containers which are adapted to be carried upon the person and has particular reference to a toothpick or the like holder.

This toothpick holder is an improvement of the toothpick holder in the patent application Serial No. 709,903 filed January 20, 1958.

It is an object of this invention to provide in a toothpick holder a casing having a plurality of spaced apart chambers.

It is another object of this invention to provide in a toothpick holder a closure means which is securely held in its adjusted positions.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a toothpick holder which houses each toothpick in a separate chamber and which provides means so that the contents of the chambers can be viewed without opening the chambers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description, taken in connection with the annexed drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the holder, parts broken away, disclosing the closure for the holder in open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the holder, parts broken away, disclosing the closure for the holder in closed position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the closure means for the holder.

Referring in detail to the drawing is a rectangular holder or casing 10 which is relatively thin. The holder 10 is made of a transparent plastic material. Six spaced elongated chambers 12 are formed in the casing 10 by means of chamber dividers 13 and each chamber 12 is provided with an opening 14 in the top of the casing 10. Any even number of chambers may be formed in the casing 10.

An arcuate track 16 is formed across the top of the casing 10. The track 16 is open at its top except for a small cover portion 18 at each end of the track 16. A very thin and resilient elongated plastic rectangular slide or valve 20 which is normally flat, is slidably mounted in the track 16. The inherent tendency of the slide 20 to straighten out to its normal fiat position will tend to cause the slide 20 to engage in frictional contact in the arcuate track 16 thereby aiding the slide 20 to be retained in its adjusted positions in the track 16.

The slide 20 is provided with a nib or teat 22 formed on the bottom of the slide 20 intermediate its ends. A knob 24 is formed on the top of the slide 20 intermediate the ends thereof. The slide 20 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 21. The track 16 is slightly larger in size than the slide 20 so that the slide 20 can be moved easily in the track 16. When the slide 20 is moved in track 16 so that the nib 22 is on the top of one of the channel dividers 13 of the casing 10 formed between the chambers 12, the apertures 21 of the valve 20 are in alignment with the openings 14 of the chambers 12, see Figure 1 of the drawing. When the slide 20 is moved in the track 16 so that the nib 22 is in one of the openings 14 of the one of the chambers 12, the slide 20 closes the chambers 12. The nib 22 securely holds the valve 20 in its adjusted positions in the track 16.

Since the casing 10 is made of a transparent plastic material, it is possible to see if there are toothpicks in the chambers 12.

Each chamber 12 is of a size to hold a single toothpick. Where a single toothpick is housed in a chamber 12 of a holder 10, it is easy to remove a toothpick without touching another toothpick. The holder 10 provides a sanitary device for holding toothpicks.

The present holder is adapted to be either carried in a pocket of a suit or in a purse.

Certain variations from the precise form illustrated will suggest themselves to anyone skilled in the art. It is not, therefore, intended to limit this invention to the precise disclosure, but only as set forth in the subjoined claims which are to be broadly construed.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described comprising a container having a top, a plurality of longitudinal spaced chambers in the container, each of the chambers provided with an outlet in the top of the container, an arcuate track formed in the top of the container, a very thin and resilient elongated rectangular slide normally flat over its full length and breadth mounted for sliding movement in the track, nib means formed on the bottom of the slide, the slide being provided with a plurality of spaced apertures, the slide being movable in the track for registering the apertures in the slide with the outlets of the spaced chambers, the nib means positioned on the bottom of the slide being in engagement with one of the spaced chamber dividers at the top of the container, and the slide being held in engagement with the top of the arcuate track against its inherent tendency to flatten out when the apertures of the slide register with the outlets of the chambers, the slide being movable in the arcuate track for closing the outlets of the chambers and the nib means on the slide being in engagement with one of the outlets of one of the said chambers in the container, when the slide closes, the outlets of the chambers, thereby securely holding the slide in said closed position.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the con tainer is rectangular in shape and is relatively thin in thickness.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the container is formed of a transparent plastic material.

No references cited.

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