US1639031A - Folded paper napkin - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,031

A. GROFF FOLDED PAPER NAPKIN Filed Dec. 2l. 1925 Patented Aug. '16, 1927.

'UNITED STATES AARON GROFF, F ST. PAUL, -MINNESOTA.

FOLDED PAPER NAPKIN.

Application led December 2,1., .1925. Serial No. 76,677.

This invention relates to a folded article ofr thin sheet material, such as paper, and particularly relates to a folded paper napkin. Paper. napkins are now used in this country at the rate of about fifty million a day and the making and folding of these napkins is quite a large business. The napkins are usually folded and packed inV boxes in whichv they are shipped to the customer. It is desirable, therefore, to havey the napkins folded into efficient shape and one which will economically lend itself to packing.

The napkins are largely used in restaurants and lunch rooms and the same are often placed, side by side, in a container. It is desirable, therefore, to have the napkins so folded that it will be easy to select one napkin from Y' the group. With napkins folded, as heretofore, it often happens that a patron will take two or three napkins out of the container, intending only to take one and said two or three napkins are usually then used and rendered unfit for further use.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a folded napkin folded into very convenient forni for use and so that it can readily be economically packed and also can readily be selected from a group of napkins in the container. y

It is a further object of the invention to provide a napkin of rectangular shape folded into substantially triangular form, the napkins first 4being folded into quarters and then having its side portions folded onto opposite sides of a central portion.

It is still furtherI an object of the invention to provide a foldednapkin, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, in which the central portion has a pointed end projecting beyond the folded side portions, which end portion is then folded over toward said side portions.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a napkin of rectangular forni folded successively to quarter size and then having side portions substantially triangular in shape folded onto opposite sides of the centralportion to form a folded article pointed at one end `and having a projecting triangular portion at its opposite end, which triangular portion is then folded toward the pointed end.'

yIt is also an object of the invention to pro- 1xide a novel method of folding a paper nap- 1n.y f l A TheseV and other lobjects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the v following description. made` in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the saine parts throughout the different views, and'i'n which, i y

Fig. 1 is a planview of a napkin used having dotted lines thereon indicating lines along which the napkins is folded in one method of folding disclosed herein;

Fig. 2 isa plan `view of a napkin in 'folded condition; f

` Fig. 3 is a vertical section takenv on the line 3-3of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows; v

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the folded napkin folded in slightly different manner than that shown in Fig. 2,;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 isa plan view of a napkin folded in modified form; and

Fig. 7 is a. view illustrating how the napkins may be packed.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a napkin 10 is illustrated, and while the napkin may be made in various shapes, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the "same is shown of rectangular shape, preferably substantially square. The napkin is first folded into quarters, and while this may be variously done, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the napkin is shown as being successively folded along median lines 10a and,y 10b. The napkin is thus brought intol multiple ply form having a size or area one-quarter of its original area. In the form shown in Fig.` 2, the napkin has a side portion 10c folded inwardly toward a central portion 10d along a line 10 extending substantially from one corner of the quarter size folded napkin to an intermediate point in one of the sides forming the opposite corner. Another side portion 10 similar to thev side portion 10 is now folded inwardlyv along the line 10g ywhich also extends from one corner of the quarter multi-ply articles to an intermediate point in the other side forming the opposite corner. The side 10t is folded to .lie downu'pon the opposite side of the central portion 10d from the side portion 10, as shown in Fig. 3. After the side portions 10C and 10f have been folded, as described, the central portion has a pointed end portion 10h at its end opposite the corner from which lines 10'J and 10g extend, and this pointed or triangular end portion is then folded inwardly` substantially along the line 10 lconnecting the points at which the lines 10""and 10g intersect the sides of the article, which line extends substantially perpendicular to the diagonal extending from the corner at which lines 10e and 10g intersect. It will be seen thatA the free and longeredge of the side portion 10c and 10f are spaced'by small angles from the sides of the central portion, respectively. The side portions 10CV and 10f and the central portion 10b all have pointed ends meeting inl a substantially common point but the angle of the sides of the central portion is somewhat greater than the angles between the sides of the side portions.. The completed folded napkin, as shown in Fig. 2, is then ofsubstantially triangular form. Such afolded napkin lreadily lends itself to economical packing. The folded napkins can be placed in reverse arrangement, as shown in Fig. 7, and thus economically packed in a box.

l/Vhen such a napkin, as shown in Fig. 2.

is placed in an open top container in groups, it will be `very easyto select one of the napkins from the group. There will always be one of the side edges of the side portions 10 or 10f at the outer side `ofthe group which can be grasped between the lingers of the person selecting the napkin. `It will thus be insured rthat only one napkin will be selected. lf th-e folded-over end portion should be on the outside of the group the person selecting the napkin could also vdraw out from the pile by grasping the said end portion between his fingers; The napkins can very readily be opened forY use by the patron by merely vtaking hold of the edges Iof the side portions 10C and 10 and then opening the napkin. y l

In Fig. 4i, a` slightlymodiiied formv of folding `is shown. l. The napkin is foldedI into quarters, vas already described, and the side portions 10C and 110f arel then folded inwardly. Instead of folding one side ,portion at one side of the eentralportion, however, and the other side portiony at the' opposite side of the lcentral portion. both side portions 10c andv 10f are folded ,downi at the `sanne side of thev central portion,l theside portion 10c being superposed on the side portion 10f. The end portion 10h isthen folded"l over, as already described. The napkin folded, as showninFig. it. may alsobewery economically packed. 1When the same isy placedin a container `for use, however, it gniaywhapp'en that there will be no free edge of the side except that" the endportion 10j, instead of being folded inwardly Asubstantially along the line 10i, has its end portion 10j folded along a line parallel to the line 10i andsubstantially midway between; the line' 10:A and the adjacent corner or tip' ofthe pointed end'.

The advantage in the form shown in Fig. 6 is that inthe complete folded napkin there will be no additional'thicknessunder folded end 10j as therev is at the Zone where the folded-over portion 10h overlies both ofV the side portions 10C and 10i. When the napkins are packed, oneon top ofthe other in the box, more ofthe napkins can thus be placed i'n the box. At the same time,the folded-over end portion 10-i saves' considerable in' the area of the box used.' rlhe napkin shown in F 6 has all the advantages in use aheady'set forth in connection withl the napkin shown in Figs.` 2 and 3.

The folded napkins are now often placed in a so-called sanitary container. rllhis container is in the shape of an inverted trough with' its side arranged approximately to fit the folded' napkin, said sides being disposed at an angle to each other substantially the Il same as the angle between the sides of the foldedtnapkin, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4'. The container is open at one end and has fianges at said end extending partially across the end napkin, the napkin-S usually ifa being held therein against said flanges by a resiliently moved plate'. lVith such containers it is diiiicult to remove one napkin when the napkins are folded as heretofore with the ends projecting straight. napkin folded as disclosed in the present ap'- plication, that is, with theend portions 10h and 10'j folded over, it is an easy matter for the napkin to be removed. The foldedover end will be at: the open end of the `container and the same can always be grasped at a point between the side flanges of the container. The customer is tliereforesureto remove only one napkin and the napkin can be lreadily grasped by the fingers for such removal. K

From the above description it will be seen that applicant has provided a greatly iin'- proved` folded napkin and' method of folding the same. The space necessary for packthe napkins isv greatly reduced and the napkins have distinct advantages in use. As above stated, the nuinber of napkins used daily in this country is very large and the provision of' napkins is quite an itein of exlith a Y; i

pense in the conduct of eating places. The use of paper napkins in homes and domestic establishments is largely on the increase as well. The folded napkins disclosed herein has been amply demonstrated in actual use and found to be very successful and eflicient.

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportionsof the parts and in the steps and sequence of steps in the method without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects a'bove set forth, in the novel method, parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

That isclaimedis:

l. A folded article comprising a substantially rectangular paper sheet folded successively on its two median lines into a* fourply rectangular article and further having its side portions folded inwardly to lie at opposite sides of its central portion along lines extending substantially from one folded corner to intermediate points on the sides forming the opposite corner, thus producing an article having a point at the free edges of said plies, said article having the Said point folded over on a line, normal to the median line thereof, and disposed between the point occupied by the tip of said point before said point was folded over and the line joining said intermediate points.

2. A folded article comprising va substantially rectangular paper sheet folded successively on its two median lines into a fourply rectangular article, and further having its side portions folded inwardly so that the. side portions and the central portion lie in juxtaposition thus producing an article having a point at its end, said article having the said point folded over on a line substantially normal to the medi-(inline thereof and disposed between the point occupied by the tip of said point before being folded over and the line oining said intermediate points.l

8. A folded article comprising a. substantially rectangular paper sheet folded successively on its two median lines into a fourply rectangular article and further folded inwardly to lie at opposite sides of its central portion, said side portions being folded along lines extending substantially from one corner of said article to intermediate points on the sides forming the opposite corner, thus forming an article having a point at its end, whereby an edge is disposedat each side of said napkin which can be engaged to Withdraw said napkin from a stack of napkins or from a container.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AARON GROFF.

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