US2195133A - Household measuring cup with cleaning attachment - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1940. w. B. NEVIN HOUSEHOLD MEASURING CUP WITH CLEANING ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 30. 1939 Patented Mar. 26, 1940 I UNITED T TE HOUSEHOLD MEASURING'CUF wrrH CLEANING ATTACHMENT William B. Nevin, Quincy, Mass. 7 Application January 30, 1939, Serial No. 253,542

4 Claims. (Cl. 'l362)v This invention relates to household measuring cups with a wiping or cleaning attachment, as

a complete article ofmanufa'cture and sale.

but formed of glass. Becauseof i the desired very Inorder that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed-one embodimentthereof in the accompanying drawing,.wherein-- I I I v I Fig, 1 is a plan viewshowing the preferred 'form of the-measuring receptacle and of the wiping or cleaningattachment;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of. the structure shownqin Fig. l; and

Fig, 3 is an edge view of the said wiping or cleaning attachment separated from the receptacle.

The household measuring cup with which my invention is concerned may partake of different forms but preferably it is cone shaped or tapering as indicated at I in Fig.2, so as to presentat the bottom a very small, desirablyperfectly flat, area 2, and at the top an encircling rim 3 which is provided withan outward overhang 4., lhe receptacle may be formed of any suitable material, is preferably transparent and desirably small size at the bottom 2-, the cup or receptacle permits of making very small measurements such as fractions of a teaspoon up to-a fullcup.

While it is not essential to my invention that the said receptacle be marked with graduations indicating measurements, I preferably do have horizontal markings or indications preferably on the outer surface as represented at 6 in Fig. 2,

and which may be anywhere about the circume ference of the receptacle. I have there indicated markings which, reading from the bottom, are of one half teaspoon, oneteaspoon, one quarter cup, one half cup, etc., up to one cup. If desired, I may have other markings as, for example, one third of a cup, etc. Desirably the cup is so proportioned that the marking for a complete cup is either at or is very slightly below the top of the rim'3, so that thus an allowance for tolerance is provided. Thus, in the use of the receptacle with liquid, a full cup would not in reality mean that the receptacle is brimming full, but thatit is full for all practical purposes, and the structure is such as to avoid spilling the full cup contents,

Preferably the said receptacle is provided with a lengthwise extending depression, groove or channel 1, shown as extending from the. very bottom 2 up to theinner face of the rim 3. This is for the purpose of facilitating the pouring out of the contents from the very bottom of the receptacle; The said depression, groove or channel may have its walls perfectly parallel, or theyv may, as shown, be slightly inclinedtoward each other, so that the contents in being poured be- 5 comes gathered into a narrower ,compass. It.

will be evident from Fig. 1 that the upper end of the said channel, groove or'depression I does not interrupt thesmooth outer contour of the rim 3 or overhang 4 thereof. f 'j I may if desired provide at some suitable'point about the rim 3 a notch or recess 8 into which the upper end of thewiping or cleaning member may be inserted as hereinafter described. The preferred form of the, wiping or cleaning attachment is shown generally at 9 in Figs. 1, 2 and ,3. As shownin'the said-figures, the attachment 9 is bent at its lower end into a complete circle ill, a face of which lies in use flatwise against the-fiat bottom 2 of thereceptacle-and entirely fills the same. From the said lower end |il, which lies at an appropriate obtuse angle to the main portionof the attachment, the latter extends upwardly, as best indicated in Fig. 2,'

vitself as shown in Fig. 2, and preferably in a reversely curvedshape l2 so thatat its extreme end I3 it engages under the overhang 4. v 35 The material of which the said attachment is formed may be whatever is most suitable, but preferably I employ a metal wire sufiiciently resilient so that when bent as shown in Fig. 2, the upper end may besprung about the overhang 0 4 in a manner that will permit the ready disent I gagement of the attachment from the said rim. 'If desired, however, the-upper end of the said. attachment may not be springy, but may be of 45 a substantially rigid nature, and in such case it would be suitably engaged with the overhang of, the rim by applying the handle portion to the rim at the notch or recess 8;

Itwill be evident from the foregoing descrip- 50 tion that in use the attachment, having been I positioned as 1 shown in Fig. 2, is grasped by one hand, the other hand holding the receptacle, and

the attachment is then turned through a complete circle so that whatever contents may re- .55

gagement with said upper edge, whereby the said vvlre-lil e member may be turned upon its said main in the receptacle is cleared from the same from bottom to top;

An advantage of the construction is that such products as lard, butter, etc., which normally adhere to the walls and bottom of the receptacle,

can be readily cleaned out by simply turning the attachment once around the cup. or receptacle, thus releasing the entire contents; The attachment can be assembled or applied to the cup or Y receptacle by simply inserting the attachment into the cup or receptacle and snapping the upper end over the edge of the rim thereof.

The channel, groove or depression "i may be of any suitable dimensions, depending upon the size of the receptacle, as, for example, a width of one-half inch at the bottom tapering to a quarter of an inch at the top. Such a construction facilitates the pouring of small liquid measurements, as, for example, fractions of a teaspoon.

Such channel also would serve as apouring channel for all liquids. Such construction will not, it is evident, interfere with the rotary or turning movement of'the attachment since the outside or the overhang is a complete circle as shown in Fig. 1 (excepting in the case where the notch or small recess iiis employed past which, however, the part it of the handle will readily pass).

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention, itis to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

I claim: V

1..AS anew article of manufacture, particularly for household use, av cup-like receptacle for liquids or solids, substantiallyuniformly tapered outward from a bottom of small area, and a cleaning wire-like member, the lower end whereof is of circular form and fills the entire small-area bottom, the said wire-likemember thence extending-upwardly in contact frombottom to top thereof with the inner surface of the receptacle, and to and over the upper edge thereof, and there having a readily detachable encircular lower end as a pivot through a complete circle, and thereby clear the contents from substantially the entire inner surface of the receptacle.

2.; As a new article of manufacture particularly for householduse, a cup-like receptacle for liquids or solids substantially uniformly tapered outward from a bottomoi small area and having at its top an encircling rim constituting anoutward overhang, and a cleaning member having a lower end extending flatwise across the entire area of the bottom, said member thence extending upwardly in contact throughout the height thereof with the inner surface of the receptacle, and to and over the said encircling rim and there having a readily detachable engagement with the said outward overhang, whereby the said member may be turned upon its said flat lower end substantially as a pivot through a'complete circle and thereby clear the contents/from substantially the entire inner surface of the receptacle.

3. As a new article of manufacture,'particularly for household use, a cup-like receptacle for liquids or solids, substantially uniformly tapered outward from, a bottom of small area and having at the top an encircling rim constituting an outward overhang, the said rim. having a relatively narrow notch or recess at the outer portion of said rim, and a cleaning member having a lower end extending to and across the bottom of the receptacle and thence extending in use in contact throughout the height thereof with the inner surface of the receptacle to the upper edge thereof, the upper end of the said member having a handle portion witha part adapted tobe entered beneath said rim at the said notch, 'whereby when. the said member is thus detacliably engaged with the said rim the said member may be turned upon its lower end substantially as apivot througha complete circle and thereby clear the contents from substantially. the entire inner surface of the receptacle.

4. As a new article'of manufacture particularly adapted for household use, a cup-like'receptacle for liquids or solids, said cup being substantially uniformly tapered outward from a bottom of smallarea, and a cleaningmember having a lower end reaching to and across the small-area bottom to provide a non-attached bearing point, and extending in contact from bottom to top thereof with the inner surfaceof the receptacle, and to and over the upper edge thereof and there having a readily detachable engagement with said upper edge, whereby the said member may be turned upon its said lower and substantially as a pivot through a completecircle and thereby clear the contents from substantially the entire inner surface of the receptacle, the said receptacle having at the inner face thereof a relatively narrow channel extending from the small-area bottom to the top so as to facilitate pouring the .contents Whether or not the same substantially fill the receptacle.

WILLIAM B. NE VIN.

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