Today in 1911, US Patent 1000581 A was issued, an invention of Robert Clarke, for his “Protector For Drinking Glasses, Etc.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cheap and ornamental means for protecting the flanged bases of tumblers, medicine glasses and other articles of a frangible nature which are readily chipped or broken by contact with tables or other hard objects and to prevent drippings adhering to the bottoms of such vessels when raised. The invention is applicable, for instance, to beer glasses which are likely to be broken in setting them down on stone slabs or counters and which are liable to drip when raised from a wet counter.

My invention comprises an endless elastic coil which is adapted to surround the base of a receptacle and grip and sustain the same and hold it from contact with a table or other support upon which it may rest. My improved protector is also elastic and forms a cushion to prevent breakage of the base of the vessel when setting it down.