US3311270A

US3311270A - Automatic water dispenser for christmas tree stands

Info

Publication number: US3311270A
Application number: US461687A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald E Juergens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-06-07
Filing date: 1965-06-07
Publication date: 1967-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-28

Description

Mamh 2%, 1%? E. JUERGENS 3 AUTOMATIC WATER DISPENSER FOR CHRISTMAS TREE STANDS Filed June 7, 1965 HNVEINTOR @wwifi E dwr am United States Patent ()fitice 3,3112? Patented Mar. 28, 1967 3,311,270 AUTOMATIC WATER DISPENSER FOR CHRISTMAS TREE STANDS Gerald E. Juergens, 6227 Garden Lane, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46804 Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,687 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-181) This invention relates to automatic liquid dispensing devices, and more particularly to an automatic water dispenser for Christmas tree stands.

It is therefore the main object of this invention to provide an automatic water dispenser for Christmas tree stands which will be in a form of a reservoir shaped like an ornament, such as for example a Santa Claus ornament, thus providing an additional attractive ornament for the tree.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic water dispenser having tube means threadingly received within the lower portion of the device adapted to extend downwardly into the water-containing receptacle receiving the trunk of the tree; when the water evaporates in the receptacle of the tree stand, water will continually replace it from the ornament, which may for example be made of plastic.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an automatic water dispenser which will add to the safety of the tree by preventing it from accidentally drying because of lack of water which would make it highly flammable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of this invention shown in section.

FIGURE 2 is a side view showing a modified form of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the device shown in FIGURE 2.

According to this invention, an automatic Water dispenser 10 for Christmas tree stands comprises a hollow, rigid, sealed ornament 11, for example in the form of a Santa Claus, ornament 11 having a hook 12 at the upper extremity thereof. Ornament 11 may be of plastic, and the hook 12 may be molded therein. Hook 12 provides a means of hanging dispenser 10 from the Christmas tree. The hollow ornament 11 is filled with water 13 which flows as needed down through a flexible tube 14 to a receptacle of a stand in which the tree trunk is placed. Tube 14 is attached to a threaded connector 15 which is threadingly received within the base 16 of ornament 11. When the water level in the stand reaches the end of tube 14 it shuts off the air to the ornament 11, which in turn will stop the flow of Water; when the water evaporates or is used by the tree, it will again flow and shut off when it covers the end of the tube 14.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3 of the drawing, one will see a modified automatic dispenser 17 which is in the form of an annular and hollow ring 18 which serves as a storage reservoir for water. Ring 18 is provided with a cap 19 which when removed allows more water to be placed into the ring 18. An elongated tube 20 extends from beneath ring 18 and thus provides automatic water dispensing in the same manner as heretofore described in the main embodiment of this invention. The water is received in the receptacle 21 of the Christmas tree stand 22 and the ring 18 rests upon the upper extremity of stand 22.

What I now claim is:

1. An automatic water dispenser for Christmas tree stands and the like, comprising a hollow, sealed, rigid ornament adapted to contain a supply of Water,

a hook for suspending said ornament,

the base of said ornament having a threaded opening,

a threaded connector adapted to interfit with said threaded opening,

said connector being secured to a hollow and flexible tube, said tube being adapted to depend downwardly into a water receptacle of a tree stand such that when the level of the water in said receptacle drops by evaporation or is used or consumed by the trunk of said tree within said stand, the water automatically flows from said ornament through said tube until the level of the water reaches over the end of said tube and thus said water automatically stops flowing from within said ornament.

2. An automatic water dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said threaded opening is internally threaded and said threaded connector is externally threaded.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,063,395 6/1913 Scribner 47-381 1,231,975 7/1917 Weitzell 4738.3 2,784,529 3/1957 Prestigiacomo 47-3 8.1 3,109,258 11/1963 Jensen 4738.5

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner.

Claims

1. AN AUTOMATIC WATER DISPENSER FOR CHRISTMAS TREE STANDS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A HOLLOW, SEALED, RIGID ORNAMENT ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A SUPPLY OF WATER, A HOOK FOR SUSPENDING SAID ORNAMENT, THE BASE OF SAID ORNAMENT HAVING A THREADED OPENING, A THREADED CONNECTOR ADAPTED TO INTERFIT WITH SAID THREADED OPENING, SAID CONNECTOR BEING SECURED TO A HOLLOW AND FLEXIBLE TUBE, SAID TUBE BEING ADAPTED TO DEPEND DOWNWARDLY INTO A WATER RECEPTACLE OF A TREE STAND SUCH THAT WHEN THE LEVEL OF THE WATER IN SAID RECEPTACLE DROPS BY EVAPORATION OR IS USED OR CONSUMED BY THE TRUNK OF SAID TREE WITHIN SAID STAND, THE WATER AUTOMATICALLY FLOWS FROM SAID ORNAMENT THROUGH SAID TUBE UNTIL THE LEVEL OF THE WATER REACHES OVER THE END OF SAID TUBE AND THUS SAID WATER AUTOMATICALLY STOPS FLOWING FROM WITHIN SAID ORNAMENT.