US2535913A - Condiment shaker - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 26, 1950 F. WiGALVlN ETAL 2,535,913

CONDIMENT SHAKER Filed May 13, 1948 Inventors ,2 Fig. Frederick W. Galvin Lawrence J. Koch By w Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE C ONDIMENT SHAKER Frederick W. Galvin and Lawrence J. Koch, St. Paul, Minn.

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements, structurally and functionally, in condiment shakers, particularly those for table use in ones home and public restaurants, and commonly used for dispensing either salt or pepper, as the case may be.

More particularly, the invention has reference to a single shaker construction characterized by individual, selectively usable chambers, one for salt, and the other for pepper, the construction 1 and arrangement being such that the user may conveniently dispense either salt or pepper, whichever is, at the time, wanted.

The primary object of the invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon combination salt and pepper shakers in which containers, defining the individual chambers, are connected together in superposed alignment and in which the products to be dispensed are discharged through a single discharge opening at the bottom of the shaker.

Stated somewhat more explicitly, the invention has to do with a shaker construction having a bottom discharge opening and internal conduit means cooperating properly with the salt and pepper chambers, and embodying fixed and movable sections, the movable section being a plunger and provided with a press-button and functioning not only to deliver to the discharge opening, but to function as a valve, making it conveniently possible for the user to assuredly attain the wanted ends.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is an elevational view, on a small scale, of a combination or duplex-type condiment shaker constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of said shaker;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of same;

Figure 4 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views, taken on the irregular section lines 5-5 and 6li respectively of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, it will be seen that the container is sectional and embodies three principal sections, namely a base section 8, top or cover section 5 and intervening section it. The sections are appropriate in proportions and shape, and may be approximately those represented in the drawings. The base section 8 cmbodies a cylindrical body portion 1 I having a suitable circular base l2, the upper end of said body portion being fashioned into a screw-threaded neck i3 and said body defining a receptacle M which is here presumed to contain salt. The common discharge opening for the products, salt or pepper as the case may be, is at the center of the bottom and is denoted l5. The section 8 also includes, at the center of the body portion, an upstanding delivery stem or tube It, which is rigid, which lines up with and rises verticallyfrom the discharge opening l5, and has its upper end provided with an enlarged conical inlet ll which also functions as a valve seat. The bore or passage of said stem is denoted at I8. The upper end-portion ll is on a plane well below the neck l3.

The body portion of section Ill is also cylindrical in cross-section and the bottom of same is provided with a concavity l9. It is also formed with a depending skirt which is fashioned into a screwthreaded neck Eli and this is threaded to the neck l3, thus separably adjoining the sections 8 and I E. The receptacle portion, which'lls presumed to contain pepper, is denoted by the numeral 2! and the upper end of the body portion 22, which defines said receptacle portion, is provided with a further screw-threaded neck 23, and this is adapted to accommodate the neck portion 2 3 of the cover 25. Referring again to the body 22, it will be observed that this is provided at its center with a passage or bore opening into a socket defined essentially by an up standing cylindrical member 26, said socket housing a coiled spring 21. Slidably mounted, partly in the socket and partly in said bore, is a novel plunger unit 28, the lower portion 29 of said unit extending downwardly through the bore and into the salt receptacle M where it is provided with an assembling and stop collar to, and a bevelled lower end 3!, the, latter constituting a valve and coacting with the valve seat IT. The enlarged upper end portion 32 of the plunger provides a guide which is operable in the socket 26, and which also provides a shoulder for the upper end of the expansion spring 21. The bore through the main part of the plunger, is denoted by the numeral 33 and constitutes the passage whereby pepper from the receptacle 2! is allowed to gravitate downwardly and into the bore 18 for exit through the discharge opening l5. Axially aligned with the plunger is a guide recess 34, and this is formed in the central portion of the cover and serves to acccommodate the head-portion 35 of a push-button 3%. The head-portion 35 connects, by diametrically opposite struts it! with the upper end of the plunger body. Incidentally,

, the upper end of the bore 33 is of conical form,

as at 38, to facilitate the dropping of pepper into the passage or bore 33. Also, the underside of the cover is of concaved form, as at 39, to provide a deflecting surface for the pepper. These cleaesaom fleeting surfaces :9, on the one hand, and 39, on the other, have been referred to as deflecting domes, and: function satisfactorily to assistin shaking and delivering the condiments: into the delivery conduit for effective escape through the discharge hole i5.

Briefly, it will be seen that the shaker characterized by the section ii, which defines a receptacle for salt or the like, together with ection H] which defines a similar receptacle for pepper or the like, the two sections having conduit means made up of the stationary section it and the movable or plunger section 28, the latter section being push-button controlled. In addition, there is. the cover section 9 which, closes the upper receptacle and also. provides a satisfactory mount for the plunger unit, the essential part of said conduit. means. Normally, the spring 21 pushes the plunger up and separates same from the stationary conduit section l 5.

In operation, assuming that the plunger is up (as shown in dotted lines) by catching, hold of the. shaker and shaking it in an up and down movement, it. will be seen that. the salt in the receptacle will be dashed against the dome l9 :3

and will, in part, its way into the discharge bore. or passage ilLby way of the. inlet l'l. lhus, the salt will be delivered. through the discharge opening. At this time, the pepper is. imprisoned in the receptacle 2! and does not escape. However, by forcing the. push-button 3%. downand seating the. valve. 8i against the seat. ii, the is imprisoned in the receptacle. i i. against escape, and the. pepper is allowed to. discharge by way of. the passages t3, l8 and it, as is obvious.

Reference being had again to the. stop collar 39,. the primary function of this element is that of a stop. That is to say,.when the cover section 9. is. separated. from the section it, collar serves to prevent the spring El from disl'odgi ng the. plunger, that is, pushing it completely out of the socket 26..

While we have based the disclosure on the idea that. the invention is essentially a combinationtype salt. and pepper shaker and dispenser, it is I obvious that the. structure serves to contain and dispense many other dry granular and even liquid products.

A careful consideration of theforegoing description in. conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawin s will enable the reader to obtain a clear'understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to. clarify the constructionof the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may beresorted to in actual practice-so. long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described: the invention what: is; claimed as: new is:.

1'. A combination-type condiment shaker embodying a lower section including a body portion having a base provided with a dischargeopening and defining a receptacle, said base having an upstanding tubular stem lined up with the said discharge opening, the upper end of said stem being below the plane of the upper end of said body portion and bein adapted to deliver a condimer-it from the receptacle through the stem and to discharge same by way of said discharge opening, a second section including a body portion detachably connected with the first named body portion. and formed in its bottom with a concavity'providing a deflecting dome to assist in delivering condiment into the upper end of said stem, said second body portion defining a second condiment receptacle andhaving a, central guide bore and an upstandingmember defining a guide socket, a spring returned plunger slidable in the bore and socket, the lower end of said plunger being. lined up with and contactable with the upper end of said stem and functionin as a valve, said plunger having a central passage, the upper end of said passage being conical to assist in delivering condiment from the second receptacle into the passage, a closure connected to the upper end of said section section, the underside of said closure having a concavity forming a deflecting dome. for the upper portion of said second receptacle, a push-button slidably' mounted in said closure, and means integrally connecting said push-button with said plunger.

2. A combination-type condiment holder and shaker embodying a lower section including a hollow body portion, said he y portion having a base at its bottom. and being open at its top, said base being provided with a condiment discharge opening, said base and body portion defining a condiment receptacle, said base having an upstanding tubular stem rising into said receptacle and lined up at its lower end with said discharge opening, the upper end of said sternbeing open and to deliver a predetermined condiment from the receptacle through, the existing passage in the stern and through the. discharge opening, an upper section also including a body portion, said body portion being detach ably connected with the upper end of thev first named body portion and having a bottom overlying the. upper end of said first: body portion and providing a. deflecting surface to assist in delivering condiment into the upper end of said stem, said second. body portion defining a second condiment receptacle and having a closure provided with a plunger guide, a plunger slidable in said second-named body with its lower end projecting into the first-named recep tacle and lined up with and contactable with the upper end of said stem and functioning a a valve for the stem, said plunger having a central passage, the upper end of said passage being communicable with said upper receptacle, a push button slidaoly mounted in the plunger guide in said cover, an operating connection between said push button and upper end portion of said plunger, and spring mean mounted in said second-named body portion and engageable with the plunger for normally raising the latter and disengaging the valve from contact with said stem.

FREDERICK W. GALVIN. LAWRENCE J. KOCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 59,406 Keep Nov. 6, 1866 529,221 Wagner Nov. 1v, 1894 688,209 Svendsgaard Dec. 3-, 1901 731,659. Bennett June 23, 1903 903,548 Hayes Nov. 16, 19%3 1,579,892 Shaw Apr. 6, 1926 1,965,148 Massa July 3, 1934 1,965,919 Bieger et. a1 July 10, 1934 2,035,256 Ball Mar. 24, 1936 2,2 l3,393 Reinhardt May 27, 194 1

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