US3455101A - Cigarette rationing device - Google Patents

Description

y 1969 P. A. MARCHESSAULT- 3,455,101

CIGARETTE RATIONIVNG DEVICE Filed Jan. 15, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y 9 Afro/ uilds July 15, 1969 P. A. MARCHESSAULT 3,455,101

CIGARETTE RATIONING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1968 T 2 w ms N E m m f M A LY 08W i a i i X 1 i .II x I|| 3,455,101 CIGARETTE RATIONING DEVICE Paul A. Marchessault, 7901 Clinton Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. 55420 Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 697,783 Int. Cl. A45c 11/00 U.S. Cl. 2061 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clock-operated cigarette container comprised of inner and outer cylindrical casings defining therebetween an annular space housing a plurality of open-ended cigarette compartments, a clock mechanism mounted within said inner casing and a transparent cover having an aperture therein rotatably mounted over one end of the container and connected to a rotating drive shaft of the clock mechanism. The cover is continuously rotated by the clock mechanism, and the aperture is periodically brought into alignment with one of the cigarette compartments, thereby permitting the removal of a cigarette at predetermined time intervals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The increasing number and reliability of scientific and governmental reports confirming the casual relationship between smoking and respiratory diseases and cancer is resulting in increased efforts by individuals and health organizations to find some Way to assist in and promote the reduction and eventual elimination of the smoking habit. Various programs and schemes for reducing a cigarette consumption have been put forward. For the individual who is conscientiously pursuing such a program to stop smoking, there is a need for some type of limited access container which makes cigarettes available only at predetermined time intervals. Pocket cigarette cases incorporating time clocks are known. However, most of these devices are useful only as portable cases to be carried on ones person, and they also employ relatively complicated and costly timing mechanisms which must be reset each time the case is opened.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Having in mind the need for a clock-perated cigarette container, I have developed such a device which is particularly characterized by its simplicity of design and operation and its dual usefulness as both a table-top, cigarette rationing device and a timepiece.

My unique cigarette rationing device takes the form of a table-top container which houses a clock mechanism and a plurality of open-ended cigarette compartments arranged in a particular pattern under an apertured cover, the clock mechanism serving to produce relative movement between the cigarette compartments and the cover so that the aperture and one of the cigarette compartments are brought into alignment at predetermined time intervals, thereby permitting the removal of a cigarette.

In the most advantageous form of my invention, the cigarette compartments or receptacles are arranged in a circular pattern within an annular space formed between the outer casing of the container and the inwardly spaced clock mechanism. Relative movement between the aforesaid apertured cover and the cigarette compartments is provided by utilizing the clock mechanism to rotate the cover.

As a further beneficial feature of my invention, I provide a transparent cover and locate the clock with its face directed downwardly towards the cover, so that the time indicated on the clock may be observed through the transparent cover.

3,455,101 Patented July 15, 1969 These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a top view of the cigarette rationing device of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical, section view taken along lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, section view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1 showing the connection between the rotatable top cover and the clock mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of an alternative form of the cigarette container of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical, section view taken along lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a front, elevation view showing how a piece of material could be formed and cut to provide an inner casing and also cigarette receptacles for my cigarette rationing device;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view showing the inner casing formed to provide a cigarette receptacle; and

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal, section view taken along lines 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

My improved container for rationing cigarettes has been particularly designed with a view towards providing such a device that would serve as a decorative article for a desk or table top. With reference to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, a preferred form of the cigarette container of this invention is shown as having an outer, cylindrical casing or housing 1. This outer casing may be made of wood or of decorative plastic. Disposed concentrically within outer casing 1 is an inner, cylindrical wall or casing 2 which is spaced inwardly from outer casing 1 so as to provide an annular space 4. A plurality of cigarette compartments or receptacles 6 are arranged within annular space 4 in a circular pattern in the manner best illustrated in FIGURE 1. Compartments 6 preferably take the form of plastic tubes open at both their top and bottom ends. Tubes or compartments 6 are spaced apart by equal intervals in order to provide a particular number of cigarettes within a specific period of time. The number and spacing of tubes 6 may obviously be varied, depending upon the number of cigarettes which the user wants to have available within a particular duration of time.

A transparent cover or closure member 8 extends across the top of easing l, and is rotatably supported at its outer periphery within U-shaped channel 10 of rim 12 attached to the upper end of easing 1. In order to permit the removal of cigarettes 14 from tubes 6, top cover 8 is provided with an aperture 16 at its outer periphery. The bottom end of container 1 is closed by means of a snap-0n plastic cover 18, which may be snapped in place after cigarette compartments or tubes 6 have been filled with cigarettes.

For the purpose of rotating top cover 8, and to provide a useful timepiece, a clock mechanism generally indicated by reference numeral 20 is supported within inner casing 2. Clock mechanism 20 is a standard, stem-wound clock of the type readily available on the commercial market. As is shown in FIGURE 1, clock mechanism 20 is mounted with its numeraled face directed upwardly, and is provided with an hour hand 21, a minute hand 22, and a second hand 23. As a convenient means for rotating top cover 8, hour hand 21 is connected thereto by means of an integral, downwardly depending tab 24 formed by making parallel, longitudinal slots 25 in top cover 8.

The arrangement of cigarette tubes 6 shown in FIG- URE 1, wherein twelve tubes are employed with each tube being disposed opposite one of the hour numerals on the face of clock mechanism 20 illustrates the manner in which my improved cigarette rationing device may be employed to limit a smoker to one cigarette each hour over a twelve-hour period, As hour hand 21 rotates in a clockwise direction, top cover 8 secured thereto rotates at the same rate of speed, and therefore aperture 16 will be moved into vertical alignment with one of the cigarette tubes 6 at hourly intervals. When aperture 16 is positioned over one of the cigarette tubes 6 as indicated in FIG- URE 1, the cigarette 14 in that tube may be removed by simply tilting the entire container-assembly downwardly.

The number of cigarettes made available during a particular period of time may of course be reduced by initially placing cigarettes in less than all of the twelve tubes or compartments 6 shown in FIGURE 1. For example, cigarettes could be placed in every other tube in order to reduce the users cigarette consumption to one every two hours. Also, it would be possible to provide a greater number of cigarettes for the heavy smoker when he begins a program to reduce his cigarette consumption by pro= viding a greater number of cigarette compartments 6, or even by utilizing minute hand 22 or its drive shaft to rotate top cover 8.

FIGURES 4 and illustrate a variation of the cigarette container design shown in FIGURES 1 through 3.. The basic arrangement of parts is the same as that described above, and like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements. In the arrangement shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, hour hand 21 of clock mechanism has been eliminated, and rotatable top cover 8 is connected directly to rotating drive shaft 28 to which an hour band would normally be connected. Cigarette access aperture 26 is provided with a point or apex which serves as the hour indicator for the clock face, Thus, the operation of the clock mechanism will rotate shaft 28 and top cover 8 connected thereto and aperture 26 will uncover one of the cigarette tubes 6 each hour with its apex 30 serving to indicate the hour of the day.

Rather than providing separate tubes 6 for cigarettes 14, cigarette storage receptacles could be formed from inner, cylindrical casing 2 in the manner indicated in FIGURES 6, 7, and 8. A flat piece of sheet metal could be cut transversely along a plurality of spaced apart lines 32 and then subjected to a stamping operation in which elongate tabs 34 and 36 would be struck outwardly lirom cutting line 32 to the positions shown in FIGURE 6. The flat piece of sheet metal would then be rolled into the form of a cylinder to provide inner casing 2, After installing inner casing 2 within outer casing 1, cigarettes 14 could be placed between outwardly extending tabs 34 and 36 as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. Tabs 34 and 36 would cooperate with outer casing 1 and the remaining solid sections of inner casing 2 to form a plurality of elongated, receptacles for cigarettes 14.;

My table-top cigarette container, as described above, offers the particular advantages that it functions as both a decorative timepiece for a desk or table and as a device for rationing cigarettes. The device requires only an ord1 nary clock mechanism to provide the necessary relative movement between the cigarette compartments and the top cover, and no complicated locking and unlocking devices are required to obtain access to the cigarettes. The use of an apertured, transparent top cover connected to a drive shaft of the clock mechanism provides a very simple way of making the stored cigarettes available at predetermined time intervals, while at the same time permitting the clock face to be visible. It is to be noted that relative movement between cigarette compartment 6 and apertured top cover 8 could be obtained by rotating the cigarette compartments rather than the top cover. This 4 could be accomplished by mounting cigarette tubes 6 on an annular base ring connected to a rotating drive shaft extending from clock mechanism 20.

It would also be possible to install a fixed top cover over the top end of housing 1 in order to protect minute hand 22 against damage. Such a cover could either be domeshaped or flat, and would have a plurality of apertures the size of aperture 16 in revolving cover 8 in alignment with cigarette compartments 6. A cigarette could thus be removed through the complementary opening in the fixed top cover each time that aperture 16 moves over one of the tubes or compartments 6.

I contemplate that various other changes and modifications be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A cigarette container comprising:

an outer casing;

a timing mechanism mounted within said casing;

a plurality of cigarette-holding receptacles positioned in said casing in a predetermined pattern, at least one end of said receptacles being open;

a cover overlying one end of said outer casing adjacent said open ends of said receptacles, said cover having -an aperture therein positioned over the space within said casing within which said receptacles are located;

said timing mechanism including drive means for producing relative movement between said cover and said cigarette receptacles whereby said aperture periodically becomes aligned with different ones of said receptacles, thereby permitting the removal of a cigarette.

2. A cigarette container as defined in claim :1, wherein:

said timing mechanism comprises a clock having a face turned outwardly towards said one end of said outer casing; and

said cover is transparent, whereby the time indicated on said clock face may be observed through said transparent cover.

3. A cigarette container as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said cigarette-holding receptacles are arranged in a circular pattern within said casing; and

said drive means includes a rotary shaft which is constructed and arranged to produce relative rotary movement between said cover and said receptacles.

4. A cigarette container as defined in claim 3, wherein:

said cover is rotatably mounted and said rotary shaft is connected thereto, whereby said timing mechanism continuously rotates said cover over said one end of said outer casing.

5. A cigarette container as defined in claim 3, and further including:

an inner casing spaced inwardly from said outer casing and defining therewith an annular space within which said cigarette-holding receptacles are located; and wherein said receptacles are defined by spaced apart elongated tabs struck from said inner casing.

6. A cigarette rationing device comprising:

a housing having a plurality of elongated cirgarettecontaining compartments therein, said compartments being arranged in a circular pattern and having open ends adjacent one end of said housing;

a rotatably mounted closure member covering said one end of said housing, said closure member having an access aperture therein in alignment with the portion of said housing within which said cigarette compartments are located;

a timing mechanism mounted within said housing, said mechanism including a rotatable drive shaft operably associated with said closure member whereby said closure member rotates and said aperture moves through an arcuate path in which it comes into align- 5 6 ment With one of said cigarette compartments at apex which serves as the hour indicator for said predetermined time intervals. ck face- I 7. A cigarette rationing device as defined in claim 6, References Clted wherein: UNITED STATES PATENTS said timing mechanism comprises a cl ck h vi g a 5 2,675,693 1954 Emery 70 272 face turned twardly towards Said cover; 3 20 957 9 5 Reitzes 70 272 said cover is made of transparent material, and is connected to the hour shaft of said clock; RICHARD WILK'INSON, 'y Examlnel' and the side walls of said aperture converge to form an E. C. SIMMONS, Assistant Examiner

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