Holder for articles such as napkins

• US 6,505,745 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard E. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Richard E. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Richard E
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US09/629,334
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 211/51, 211/50, 211/181.1, D 7/631
• US Class Current: 211/51
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/16 Table-cloth or napkin holders

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article holder for retaining stacked articles dispensed in a horizontal plane and held in place by a retaining member. The retaining member is adjustable for the height of the stack of the horizontally disposed articles and is adapted to be removed as a retaining member or placed beneath the stacked articles if desired.

Claims

1. An article holder for holding a stack of articles, comprising:

a base to support said stack of articles;

at least one pair of side retaining members connected to sides of said base and extending upwardly from the base; and

a holding member having two ends and retaining said stack of articles against movement with respect to said base;

wherein one end of said holding member is pivotably connected to one of said at least one pair of side retaining members and another end of said holding member is extended through said other one of said at least one pair of side retaining members for restraining said stack of articles and can be disengaged therefrom.

2. The article holder according to claim 1 further comprising:

said side retaining members each having two bars,

said holding member having two ends, one end being formed of two separate strips, each strip terminating in a closed loop encircling a respective one of said two bars of one of said side retaining members, so that said holding member can be raised and lowered along a longitudinal length of said one of said side retaining members;

said holding member having a second end formed to have a narrow neck at said end and terminating in a loop at said end, said looped end being wider than said neck so that the said neck is adapted to extend between said two bars of another one of said side retaining member and to be rotated so that said second end can engage or disengage from said another one of said side retaining member.

3. The article holder of claim 1 wherein said side retaining members are formed of wire material.

4. The article holder of claim 2 wherein said holding member is formed as a wire.

5. The article holder of claim 1 wherein said base is a rectangular shape.

6. The article holder of claim 1 wherein said articles are napkins, food trays, cup lids or sheet materials.

7. A napkin holder comprising:

a base on which said napkins are placed;

two pairs of side retaining members retaining said napkins within said base;

a substantially horizontal retaining member having two ends and disposed on said napkins; and

wherein said substantially horizontal retaining member is pivotably connected to one of said two pairs of side retaining members, said substantially horizontally retaining member being disengageable from and being slidingly moved up and down along another one of said two pair of side retaining members for holding said napkins on said base.

8. The napkin holder of claim 7 wherein said substantially horizontal retaining member has a wire form.