US3040472A - Coaster - Google Patents

Description

June 1962 J. H. MILLER 3,040,472

COASTER Filed Aug. 10, 1959 6 PRINTED MATTER HERE V3 lNVENTOR:

BVMMM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office Filed Aug. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 832,564 1 Claim. (Cl. 4568.4)

This invention relates to a coaster for supporting beverage glasses or bottles, and more specifically, to a beverage-supporting coaster provided with means for entertaining the users thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a laminated fiber or paperboard coaster which may be used as a device for the playing of party games without at the same time losing its effectiveness as a moisture absorbent pad for the supporting of beverage glasses or bottles. Accordingly, the invention is particularly adapted for use in either the home or in commercial establishments where people meet to enjoy beverages or liquid refreshments.

Two embodiments ofv the invention are illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of-a coaster embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the several layers of sheet material from which the coaster is formed;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the coaster illustrated in FIGURE 1, the view being taken along line'33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a coaster constituting a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the layers from which the coaster of FIGURE 4 is formed; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-3, the numeral 10 generally designates a flat coaster or pad formed from top, intermediate and bottom sheets 11-13 respectively. The top and bottom sheets or layers are preferably formed from fibrous and moisture-absorbent sheet material while the intermediate layer 12 is formed from a sheet of sized paper or other relatively non-absorbent sheet material. Thus, when the parts are adhesively secured together in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3, the top and bottom layers are exposed for absorbing moisture from a surface upon which the coaster is placed or from an article positioned upon the coaster, while the intermediate layer serves as a moisture barrier between the top and bottom layers of the laminated article.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be seen that the top layer 11 is die-cut along lines 14 to define or partially define removable sections 15. In the illustration given, the lines 14 are arcuate and generally define a plurality of sections of circular configuration. However, it is to be noted that the several arcuate cuts or perforations for each circular section are spaced apart at their ends to provide narrow connecting portions 16 which retain the circular sections in position until those portions are torn in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Top layer 11 is adhesively secured by any suitable glue or cement to the intermediate layer 12. However, the undersurfaces of the circular sections are free of adhesive attachment to layer 12 so that these sections may later be removed to expose the top surface portions of the intermediate layer through the circular openings. As already indicated, the undersurface of the intermediate layer is glued or otherwise adhesively attached to the upper surface of the fibrous bottom layer 13.

The top surface of the coaster isimprinted, as indicated by the numeral 17, with a riddle or question, or with instructions for the playing of the game. Similarly, the intermediate layer 12 bears imprinting beneath each of the circular sections 15, as indicated in FIGURE 2 by the numerals 18, which relates in some way to the question, riddle or instructions appearing upon the face of the coaster. If for example, the face of the coaster bears an imprinted question, the intermediate layer may bear imprinted yes or no answers to that question. Alternatively, the imprinting upon the face of the coaster may instruct the user to make-up a question of his own and to uncover the answer to that question by tearing and peeling back any of the sections 15 of the top layer to expose the imprinting carried by the intermediate layer directly therebelow.

While the structure of the present invention comprises a device for entertaining users at parties and other gatherings, it will be noted that such use does not impair the function of the structure as a coaster to protect a table or other supporting surface frommoisture which is present upon the outer surface of the article supported by the pad. Conversely, the provision of absorbent top and bottom layers promotes the use of the structure as a game by protecting the relatively thin intermediate layer, and

the imprinting carried thereby, from water and other liquids. It will also be observed that the porous texture of the fibrous upper layer 11 permits the circular sections 15 to be easily detached or torn-away, and thereby facilitates playing of the game.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 4 through 6, the coaster 10' is substantially the same as the structure already described except that there is no intermediate layer and the upper layer 11' is provided with only a single removable section 15 defined by die-cut lines 14. Like layer 13, the bottom layer 13 consists of an imperforate sheet of porous moisture-absorbent material. The upper layer 11 is also preferably formed of moisture absorbent sheet material and the two layers are adhesively secured together to form the laminated structure illustrated in FIGURE 6. However, as in the first embodiment, the undersurface of the removable section 15' is not adhesively secured to the layer disposed directly therebelow, so that a user may easily tear back the removable section to expose the imprinting 18' beneath that section. Also, the face of, the top layer 11' may be provided with printed matter 17' which sets forth the rules of the game or recites some question or riddle which is answered by the printing 18' concealed beneath the re- Patented June 26 1962 3 4 tween of non-absorbent sheet material, said upper layer References Cited in the file of this patent having die-cut lines defining a removable section thereof UNITED STATES PATENTS and having its undersurface adhesively secured to said intermediate layer about said removable section, said 1,567,560 Worth Dec. 29, 1925 lower layer being imperforate and having the upper sur- 5 2,004,166 Low June 11, 1935 face thereof adhesively secured to said non-absorbent in- 2,109,603 Worth Mar. 1, 1938 termediate layer, the non-absorbent sheet of said inter- 2,163,478 W lf J 20, 1939 mediate layer being imprinted directly beneath said remov- 2 203 133 Schuman et 1 Jun 4, 1940 able section with markings normally concealed by said sec- 2,70990 5 Dunlap Ju 7 19 5 5 tion, whereby, upon removal of said section said imprint- 10 2,856727 Tolbert Oct 21 5 ing is exposed to view through said upper layer.

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