US2139153A - Plate warming table pad - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1938.

, Figi.

L. K. FRoLlcH 2,139,153

PLATE WARMING TABLE PAD Filed Feb. 19, 1937 Hl il L.K.Frolich WwW-Snow attorney Patented Dec. 6, 1938 PATENT OFFICE PLATE wARMnvG TABLE PAD Lll K. Frolich,

Louisville, Nebr.

Application February 19, 1937, Serial No. 126.590

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dining table equipment and moreparticularly to pads therefor.

It is an object of the invention to provide means combined with and embedded in a dining table 5 pad whereby plates and dishes may be warmed for maintaining edibles in a delectable condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table pad for the above stated purposes which is adapted to be folded compactly for storage when not in use, said pad being intended to completely cover an ordinary dining table such as used in dwelling houses and also to provide an extensible pad for covering extensible dining tables. Afurther object of the invention is to provide like pads whereby any length of table may be equipped for the said purposes. l

As heretofore practiced in the art, particularly in hotels, dining tables are set up of different 0 lengths and at times said tables are comparatively long as during conventions and the like, the diners often being late in assembly whereby the ilrst course of a dinner or particularly soups become chilled between the time the soup dishes diners. v

Similarly in homes the consumption of victuals is delayed after the latter are placed on a table due to diverse social causes and the present invention contemplates provision of means whereby the service of dinners is facilitated without damage to the palatability of the food served in instances where consumption is delayed.

With such objects in view and others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises Various novel features of construction and combination ofv parts which are set forth with partcularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the new device applied inA a position of use to a fragment of a dining table top, the view being taken substantially on line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of a pad portion and. heating element employed.

Referring now to the drawingfor a more particular description, I Il indicates a table which may be of conventional or extensible type or of that type used in hotels, the latter usually consisting of loose tops and horses whichvmay be aligned for providing elongated tables for a large 56 number of diners.

a dining table pad to which may be added other are placed on the table and the arrival of thev 'I'he new pad consists of any suitable pad material II disposed between any suitable covering I2 providing a pad section, several of which may be joined together, as shown in Figure 1, the covering material I2 functioning as hinge strips. Any desired number of heating elements or heaters I3 are provided in each pad.

The pads are provided with oppositely disposed male and female electrical socket` members on opposite sides of their body portions, the male socket members I4 being adapted to be received in and interiit with the female socket members I5. In instances where pluralities of pad sections are `employed which are joined together but two socket members are employed for each series of joined pads and in all instances the pad sections are provided with electrical vwires I6 which mayextend through them or between the materials II and I2 or along the sides of the latter and in communication with the heaters I3 and socket members Il and I5, whereby a circuit may be closed through the wires and heaters for purposes later described.

An end pad section socket member is adapted to be connected to an electrical plug I1 and wires I8 and I 9 which may be placed in electrical communication with a source of electrical energy delivered through the supply wires 20.

The device preferablyv also includes a rheostat 2| which may be manually actuated for varying the amount of electrical energy delivered to the heaters for purposes later described.

In operation the table being set up and joined pad section being placed thereon a table cloth 221s placed over the pads in a conventional manner'and the soup dishes 23 placed on the table cloth in verticalalignment with the elements I3 whereby said dishes may be kept warm together with the contents thereof and the degree of heat may 2ble selectively applied by means of the device Additional like joined pad sections may be added or an additional single pad section may 'be electrically connected in accordance with the length of the table to be serviced.

At any time during dining when it is not desired to warm the plates the supplyof electrical energy may be completely cut o fi by means of the device 2l or the wires I8 and I9 may be uncoupled from the pads.

I do not wish to be restricted to the size, form and proportions of the various parts, and obviously changes could be made in the construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being only necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. In a dining table cover pad, a plurality of pad-sections, at least one electrical heater embedded in each section, said sections adapted to lie in substantially the same horizontal plane on an elongated table top, oppositely disposed male and female electrical socket members on opposite free sides of each pad-section and disposed intermediate the top and bottom face thereof, electrical wires in communication with said heaters and said socket members, said members adapted to lie in substantially the same plane on an elongated table top and arranged to be connected at opposite sides of the pad with corresponding intertting socket members in a contiguous like pad, each pad-section including a plurality of members formed of pad material and a covering enclosing the pad material and providing hinge strips, whereby the pad members are joined in such a manner as to permit folding of one pad member upon another pad member when the cover pad is not in use.

2. In a dining table cover pad, a plurality of pad-sections, at least one electrical heater embedded in each section, said sections adapted to lie in substantially the same horizontal plane on an elongated table top, means lying within' the contines ot the top and bottom face of each pad-section for joining the sections together, electrical wires in communication with said heaters and said means, each pad-section including a plurality of members formed of pad material and a covering enclosing the pad material and providing hinge strips, whereby the pad members are joined in such a manner as to permit folding ot one pad member upon another pad member when the cover pad is not in use.

3. In a dining table cover pad, a plurality of pad-sections joined together to provide an elongated table cover, a plurality of electrical heaters embedded in the sections along opposite side portions of the sections, said heaters being arranged in opposed relation to provide pairs of heaters, wires connecting the heaters of each pair, wires connected to said rst wires, and means for connecting said second wires to a source of electric current, each pad-section including a plurality of members formed oi' pad material and a covering enclosing the pad material and providing hinge strips, whereby the pad members are joined in such a manner as to permit folding o! one pad member upon another pad member when the cover pad is not in use.

LILL K. FROLICH.

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