US3416989A - Devotional article - Google Patents

Description

DC 17, 1968 D. F. L AWLER DEVOTIONAL ARTICLE Filed Dec. 4, 1964 Y INVENTOR afuel FPQUCL'San/e United States Patent() "F 3,416,989 DEVOTIONAL ARTICLE Danielv Francis Lawler,t Newton, Conn., assignor to The Wheell Rosary Co. Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut f Filed Dec. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 416,073 6 Claims. (Cl. 161-8) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compact rosary device for steering wheels to extend over only a short segment of the rim of the wheel so as to be used by one hand in the recitation of the rosary without interference with the usual rim of the steering lwheel and in which the device is molded to provide four decades of the rosary disposed in nested side by side rows on the upper surface of the device and the fifth decade extending across the ends of the rows and connects the ends of the outside rows with the usual pendant portion nested within t-he inner pair of the rows and the device being preferably of flexible plastic to conform to steering wheel rims of different diameters and readily snapped in place thereon.

It is the custom amongst the members of the Roman Catholic faith to recite prayers consisting of various portions which collectively make up the rosary. These recitations are somewhat lengthy, and selected ones of them are recited several times in the course of completing the prayers. It is therefore the custo-m of these individuals to linger or 4manipulate a loose, articulated string of various rosary beads having appropriate significance to the several portions of the rosary for the purpose of counting the num-ber of times that a selected prayer has been recited in. order to complete the prayers according to the prescribed form.

Some of these individuals recite the rosary prayers while engaging in some form of activity which makes it inconvenient or extremely difficult to manipulate a conventional rosary' with both hands. For example, a person driving an automobile or flying an airplane must maintain control of the vehicle with at least one hand; military personnel about to engage in combat do not wish to relinquish manual control of their weapons; and persons engaged in hazardous vocations or athletic activities, as well as the aged or infirm, may wish to recite the rosary while still retaining some manual control over the objects of their particular activity.

A principal object of this invention is -to provide a devotional article in the nature of a rosary which is adapted to be carried upon, or by, an object or item of utility in a manner such that the article presents to an individual using it a rosary pattern or simulated rosary in which all the parts thereof are rigidly or immovably related and are therefore disposed for tactual manipulation bythe lingers of only one hand of the user.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a devotional article in the nature of a rosary such as referred to above in which the various parts thereof, that is, the cross, the medal and the plurality of individualfbeads and the groups of beads are disposed on the rosary article in tactile positions such that they are readily discernible one from` each other by manipulation with the lingers of one hand 3,416,989 Patented' Dec. 17, 1968 preferably, though not necessarily, formed integrally'with the supporting element. These rows of bead-portions,'to gether with the medal and cross, are conligurated into a rosary having a continuous loop, with the medal and part of the loop attached thereto being folded back into the loop to form a serpentine loop pattern with a reentrant portion making up the loop rows. A central row pendent from the medal and terminating with the cross is disposed between the loop rows and is substantially completely enclosed thereby either within or outside of the loop. The rows are disposed in substantially parallel relationship, but spaced apart a distance suicient so that each row can -be tactually distinguished from the others. Also, the individual bead-portions are spaced apart suficiently so as to be tactually discernible from each other. By this arrangement the rosary article achieves its function of permitting manipulation of the article by the fingers of one hand and yet occupies the minimum amount of space required to achieve this function.

An important feature of this invention is the provision of a simulated rosary carried by a suitable supporting element in which all parts of the rosary are in a fixed spatial relation with respect to eacht other so that the simulated rosary formed is rigid and non-articulated in contrast to a conventional string of rosary beads. Thus with the present invention it is a relatively simple matter for the user to -move a finger from part to part thereof, particularly from bead-portion to bead-portion, in order to maintain the proper order and number of the various prayers of the rosary while reciting them during engagement in an unrelated activity.

The present invention is particularly adapted for embodiment in or attachment to the steering wheel of an automobile in a position where it does not interfere with the drivers normal grasping thereof, thereby avoiding the inconvenience and distraction experienced in reaching into ones pocket and handling, in the usual manner, a long string of loosely connected beads and other parts fashioned as a normal rosary, and this is an important feature of the present invention.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of an automobile steering wheel illustrating one embodiment of the invention as adapted to be carried thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged fragmentary view 0f another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged fragmentary view of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional viewl taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the `drawings and more particularly to FIGS. l through 3, there is illustrated a conventional lautomobile steering wheel 10 having radial spokes or connecting bars 12 for lconnecting the wheel 10 to the steering post 14 of the automobile. There is conventionally also associated with the steering wheel a horn operator 16, of which a plurality of these are usually connected by a horn ring 18.

It is to lbe understood that the invention as hereinafter described is not limited to the use described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, this use being illustrative of the general utility of the invention as well as special utility when yused in connection with the steering wheel of an automobile.

The rosary article, Igenerally indicated by the numeral 20, comprises an elongate relatively narrow supporting element 22 having an exterior surface 24, although as stated the supporting element 22 may, if desired, be formed as an integral part of the utility object such as the wheel as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The supporting element, if separate from the utility article, may be fiat, or c-urved along any dimension yas desired in order to conform to the external contours of the utility object upon which it is mounted. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the supporting element 22 is curvilinear lengthwise and is also curved in cross section to an extent at least approximating a hemicycle so as to have an interior surface 26 which conforms substantially with a portion of the exterior surface of the wheel 10.

The supporting element 22 carries on its surface 24 a simulated rosary comp-rising a plurality of protuberances taking the form of bead-portions 28 which are raised above the surface 24 and therefore are tactulally sensible. The bead-portions are arranged in live decades 30, individual 'bead-portions 32, and a single group 34, Also ineluded is a medal 36 and a cross 38, thereby completing the necessary components of a conventional rosary except for a simulated chain 40.

In a conventional rosary, `five decades, four individual beads and the medal form a continuous loop, and two individual beads separated by a group of three and terminating with the cross are pendent from the medal.

In the simulated rosary of this invention, in order to reduce the length of the article, the medal and pendent row of bead-portions are yfolded back into the loop to form a serpentine loop pattern with Ia reentrant portion forming a plurality of loop rows of bead-portions and a pendent row, either within or outside of the loop with all of the rows being substantially parallel whereby the entire rosary pattern is substantially rectangular and thereby occupies substantially less space lengthwise than if the bead-portions were strung out as a single extended loop as in a conventionalstring of rosary beads.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the preferred pattern of the simulated rosary comprises a central row 42 having one individual bead-portion 372, the group 34 of bead-portions and other individual bead-portion 32, all being pendent from the medal 36 and terminating at the free end in the cross 38.

Oppositely extending from the medal 36 are two rows 44 of a decade 30 each of bead-portions and which extend sufficiently far to substantially completely enclose the -central row 42. The intermediate rows each terminate with an individual bead-portion 32.

Connected to the intermediate rows 44 at the ends thereof remote from the medal 36 are two outer rows 46 which extend reversely from the above mentioned individual bead-sections 32 and include a decade 30 each of bead-portions and terminate with an individual beadportion 32.

These two outer rows 46 are connected together, from the last mentioned individual bead-portions 32, by a U- shaped row `48 comprising a decade 30 of bead-portions in order to close the serpentine loop.

' It will be observed that each of the rows of lbeadportions are adjacent to but spaced from one another a distance sufiicient to facilitate tactual discernment of one row from another; similarly, each bead-portion in each row is adjacent to but spaced from an adjacent beadportion a distance suflicient to tactually distinguish the -bead-portions, with additional space being left between the decades 30 and the individual lbead-portions 32 so that the different portions of the simulated rosary can be readily distinguished by touch of the linger.

Since the various portions of the simulated rosary are preferably formed integrally with the supporting element 22, or integrally with the utility object, such as the steering wheel of an automobile, if desired, the article of this invention as thus far described presents to the user a simulated rosary in which the parts are all in a permanent spatial relation relative to each other and thereby form a rigid non-articulated structure which permits easy manipulation with one hand and serves to readily assist the user in the proper order of recitation of this prayers.

As indicated hereinabove, the simulated rosary may be formed integrally with a support element 22 which is adapted to be fixedly attached to a utility object such as the steering wheel 10. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l through 3 this is accomplished by providing the supporting element 22 with a pair of circumferentially extending lips 50, the terminal portions 52 of which detine an opening which is slightly less than the widest part of the steering wheelin cross-section so that the entire structure can be snapped over the wheel and held securely in place by the lips 50. In this embodiment the rosary article 20 is 4preferably formed of any suitable relatively rigid metal or plastic material which can be formed or molded to the desired shape and which has sufficient resiliency to be snapped over the wheel 10 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which the rosary article 120 is formed of a relatively rigid non-resilient material such as cast metal or wood, and which has a curved contour in cross section covering only a major portion of the contour of the wheel 10 as seen in FIG. 5. The supporting element 122 may be secured to the steering wheel, 0r any other desired utility object, as by the screws 123 illustrated in FIG. 4. In the alternative, the inner surface 126 of the supporting element may be coated with a suitable adhesive whereby the element may be adhesively secured to the wheel 10, or other utility object in a desired location.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the previously mentioned embodiment of the invention wherein the rosary article 220 including the various protuberances 228 are constituted as an integral part of the steering wheel 210 or other utility object. Therefore a portion of the utility object itself forms the support element for the simulated rosary.

In a still further embodiment of the invention, not illustrated, the rosary article is formed from a relatively rigid impressionable thick synthetic or natural material such, for example, as rubber or leather, in which the configuration of the rosary pattern is impressed or embossed into the reverse side of the material so as to permanently protrude from the exposed side thereof. The material is formed into a sleeve which extends around the wheel 10, or other similar rod-like shaped utility object, and the terminal edges of the sleeve are provided with any suitable securing means such as snap, or slide fasteners, or clamps.

What I claim is:

1. A relatively rigid self-sustaining rosary device shaped to be located on a short segment of a rim of a steering wheel for one-hand engagement and having on a top surface thereof a plurality of raised bead-portions forming an endless loop of bead-portions located between the inner and outer diameters of the wheel, said loop having a reentrant portion extending back into the loop to form a plurality of narrow rows of decade bead-portions arranged in pairs of adjacent rows substantially concentric with each other and with the rim of the wheel, each pair having an inner row and an outer row joined at one end of each row by an isolated bead, the inner rows being joined together, the outer rows being joined together at respective opposite ends thereof by means of an additional p decade portion and an isolated bead at each end thereof,

terial having a concave side shaped to t over land be attached to a short section of a hand engageable device having a substantially circular cross-section, said support having on its opposite side a plurality of integral raised bead-forming portions forming `an endless loop-of bead- -portions exending from substantially one end to the other of the support, said loop having a reentrant portion extending back into the loop to form a plurality of narrow rows of decade bead-portions arranged in pairs of adjacent rows substantially parallel with each other and with the side edges of the support, each pair having an inner row and an outer row joined at one end of each row by an isolated bead, the inner rows being joined together, the outer rows being joined together at respective opposite ends thereof by means of an additional decade portion and an isolated bead at each end thereof, said rows of bead-portions being adjacent but spaced from each other, and said bead-portions within said rows being adjacent but spaced from each other, a distance sufficient to permit tactual discernment one from another by a one-hand operation, said bead-portions being in immovable spatial relation with each other on said support.

3. A rosary article for attachment to a vehicle steering wheel comprising a narrowv elongate arcuate relatively rigid self-sustaining support which has a concave underside shaped to iit over and be attached to a short segmental portion of a steering wheel, said support having on its upper side a plurality of raised bead-portions forming an endless loop of bead-portions extending from sub stantially one end to the other of the support, said loop having a reentrant portion extending back into the loop to form `a plurality of narrow rows of decade bead-portions arranged in pairs of adjacent substantially parallel rows, each pair having an inner row and an outer row joined at one end of each row by an isolated bead, the inner rows being joined together and the outer rows being joined together at respective opposite ends thereof by means of an addition-al decade portion and an isolated bead at each end thereof, a simulated raised medal carried by said support interposed in said loop at the joinder of said inner rows, a simulated raised cross carried by said support and connected to said medal by a row of bead-portions, all of said rows of bead-portions, said medal and said cross being congurated as a simulated rosary having the endless loop formed into a substantially rectangular serpentine pattern with the last named row being pendent from the medal and substantially completely enclosed by the other rows, all of the bead-portions, the medal and the cross being in immovable spatial relation with each other on the support, thereby forming a rigid, non-articulated simulated rosary adapted for tactual manipulation by the lingers of only one hand for assistance in the proper order of recit-ation of prayers.

4. A rosary article for attachment to a vehicle steering wheel comprising a narrow elongate arcuate relatively rigid support which is self-sustaining in traverse crosssection and has a concave underside shaped to t over and be attached to a short segmental portion of a rim of a steering wheel, said support having a convex upper side provided with a plurality of raised bead-portions forming an endless loop of bead-portions extending from substantially one end to the other of the support, said loop having a reentrant portion extending back into the loop to form a plurality of narrow rows of decade bead-portions arranged in spaced pairs of adjacent rows substantially concentric with the center for the arcuate support and with the side edges of the support, each pair having an inner row and an outer row joined at one end of each row by an isolated bead, the inner rows being joined together, the outer rows being joined together at respective opposite ends thereof by means of an additional decade portion and an isolated bead at each end thereof, said rows of beadportions being adjacent but spaced from each other, and said bead-portions within said rows being adjacent but spaced from each other, a distance suflicient to permit,

tactual discernment one from another, said bead-portions being in immovable spatial relation with each other on said supporting element.

5. A rosary article as delined in claim 4, in which the support is made of yieldable plastic material so that it will yield to fit steering wheel rims of different diameters.

6. A rosary article as deiined in claim 4, in which the support has portions engageable with the underside of the rim of the steering wheel, and is made of plastic material which is resiliently yieldable to permit the support to be snapped over the rim and be held thereon frictionally against casual movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,774,059 8/ 1930 Hennegan 161-8 X 2,213,516 9/1940 Beehan 35--23 2,351,918 6/1944 Brennan 161-8 X 2,663,911 12/1953 Waag et al.

2,650,445 9/ 1953 Randall 161-8 2,972,819 2/ 1961 Graham.

3,007,743 11/1961 Lange 161-7 X ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner.

W. A. POWELL, Assistant Examiner.

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