US3021087A - Cord storage device - Google Patents

Description

Feb- 13, 1962 R. w. RUDOLPH 3,021,087

CORD STORAGE DEVICE Filed April 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 oir/eggs" Feb. 13, 1962 R. w. RUDOLPH CORD STORAGE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 Filed April 3, 1959 United States Patent O 3,021,087 CORD STORAGE DEVICE Robert W. Rudoiph, Bellwood, Ill., assigner to Jefferson Electric Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 803,951 2 Claims. (Cl. 242-851) This invention relates to an improved cord storage device for use with electrical appliances.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device by means of which the attachment cord of an electrical appliance may be maintained within an annular cavity d-isposed in the base of the appliance, even though the cavity opens downwardly. Thus, the invention is `of particular utility in connection with appliances, such as clocks, toasters, table lamps, and the like, in which the base of the appliance is adapted to rest on a horizontal surface.

A further object of my invention is to provide means by which the excess portion of the attachment cord of an appliance may be conveniently arranged within the base of the appliance.

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

With reference now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a top side elevation, partly in section, of a clock embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan section taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a modified form of guide member; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 4.

With reference now to FIG. l, the reference numeral designates generally a clock or similar appliance. The clock comprises a casing member 11 and a base member 12 which are secured to each other by means of screws 13. Mechanism 14 is disposed within the casing above the base 12. In the particular example shown, the axis of the mechanism is disposed at an acute angle to the vertical axis of the clock, and a hand setting shaft 15 is provided which is also disposed at an -angle and which projects through a diagonally disposed portion 26 of the base 12.

The base 12 is provided with a downwardly opening annular cavity 16 which surrounds a central depressed base portion 17. A guide member 18 is rotatably mounted on the central depressed portion 17, concentrically with the annular cavity 16. The outer portions 27 of the guide member extend beneath and overlap the annular cavity 16.

The guide member 18 includes a stem 19 which projects through a suitable opening in the central portion 17 and which is secured therein by means of a friction spider 20, as shown in FIG. l. The arrangement is such that the guide member 18 may be freely rotated with the nger of one h-and.

The base also includes a vertical `cylindrical supporting ange 21 which projects downwardly below the level 0f the central depressed portion 17 and thus serves to maintain that portion 17 and the guide member 18 clear of a supporting surface. A slot 22 is formed at one portion of the ange.

The clock is provided with an attachment cord 23 which projects through an opening 24 in the upper wall 29 of the annular cavity 16. The outer end of the attachment cord 23 is provided with a plug 25.

The guide member 18 provides convenient means for arranging any unused portion of the cord 23 within the annular cavity 16, and at the same time serves as a means to maintain the cord within the cavity after the same has been arranged therein.

3,021,087 Patented Feb. 13, 19762 In operation, let it be assumed that the clock is provided with an eight foot cord, but that the purchaser wishes to locate the clock at a point which is only four feet from the wall socket. Therefore, four feet of the cord can be stored in the annular cavity 16.

To accomplish this, the clock is picked up in one hand, and is held in an inverted position with the cord 23 arranged on an adjacent horizontal table surface at about the same level as the clock. The guide member 18 is a propeller shaped device so that a finger of the other hand can be inserted behind one of the blades in order to rotate the same. The end of one of the blades will catch the cord and guide the same around the central depressed portion 17 and permit it to drop into the annular cavity 16. After the requisite length of cord has been disposed in the cavity in the form of convolutions 28 the remainder of the cord 23 is brought out through the slot 22 and the clock is uprighted and placed on the table. To all intents and pu-rposes, the clock is now provided with a cord four feet long which is just the right length to reach the wall socket.

Before uprighting the clock, the cord may be given a tug so as to tighten the convolutions disposed within the cavity 16. Then when the clock is placed in its normal position, even though the convolutions 28 tend to drop downwardly they wall be engaged by the ends of the guide member 18, and thus will be prevented from dropping downwardly out of the cavity 16 and on to the clock supporting surface.

In the modification of FIG. 4, the guide member is in the form of a disk 30 having two slots 31 and having a suitable mounting stem 19'. The cord 23 extends through one of the slots 31 so that it may be engaged by an edge of the slot as the disk 30 is rotated in order to guide the cord as it is drawn into the annular cavity 16. The other slot can be engaged by the operators tinger to cause rotation of the disk 30.

Thus, the oper-tation of the disk-shaped `guide member 30 is substantially the same as the operation o-f the propeller-shaped guide member 18. In either event, the convolutions 28 of the attachment cord 23 will be engaged by the outer portions of the guide member at at least two points which are apart so that the convolutions will be retained within the -annular cavity 16 to prevent tangling of the convolutions when the appliance is lifted from its supporting surface.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the construction shown without departing from the scope of the invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical appliance the combination of a base member having a central depressed portion, a downwardly facing annular cavity surrounding the same, and supporting means projecting downwardly below the level of said central depressed portion and located exteriorly of said annular cavity, a guide member rotatably mounted on said central depressed portion land beneath the same, and having at least two outer portions extending beneath said annular cavity, and an attachment cord for said electrical applince extending downwrdly through said base member into said annular cavity, a portion of said attachment cord being disposed in coiled relationship within said annular cavity, and said guide member being concentrically mounted with respect to said annular cavity so that said outer portions thereof will always overlap said annular cavity to engage the convolutions of said cord in supporting relationship, said supporting means serving o maintain said guide member clear of a supporting surace.

2. In an `electrical appliance, the combination of a base member having a peripheral flange adapted to rest on a supporting surface, a central depressed portion spaced inwardly from said ange, and horizontal web means connecting the upper portions of said ange and said central depressed portion, said Harige, said central depressed por- -tion and said horizontal web means providing a downwardly facing annular cavity, a dowwardly opening slot formed in the lower edge of said peripheral flange, an attachment cord having an inner end passing through said web portion and having an outer end passing Ithrough said Slot, and having an intermediate portion disposed Within said annular cavity in coiled relationship, a guide member disposed beneath said central depressed portion and said annular cavity and engaging the convolutions `of said intermediate coiled portion of said cord to maintain the same within said annular cavity, and pivot means located' on said central depressed portion concentrically with respect to said annular cavity for rotatably mounting said guide member on said central depressed portion, said guide means having a radially disposed edge portion for engaging said cord to facilitate the arrangement of the intermediate portion thereof in coiled relationship within sa-id annular cavity.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 795,980 Hubbard Aug. 1, 1905 1,672,917 Sommer June 12, 1928 1,946,778 Cline Feb. 13, 1934 1,947,517 Brosilow et al Feb. 20, 1934 2,816,718 Chewning Dec. 17, 1957 2,865,071 Clemens Dec. 23, 1958

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