Today in 1915, US Patent D48217 S was issued, an invention of Frederick E. Anderson, for his “Design for a Drinking Glass.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

I have invented a certain new, original, and ornamental Design for a Drinking-Glass, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings forming a part thereof, wherein the side wall of the drinking glass is substantially straight from its lower end upwardly to a point near its top edge, at which point a pronounced outward curvature is developed in the form of a concavo convex bulge. This rounded or bulged formation is comparatively shallow vertically and terminates in the top edge, which edge is substantially in the plane of the straight side wall portion. It is thus characteristic of the design that the side of the glass presents a substantially straight line from its bottom to its top edge, save the outward bulge-which is adjacent to the top.

Today in 1893, US Patent 506120 A was issued, an invention of William Kiel, for his “Beer Tray.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

The object of my invention is to provide a rapid draining tray for holding wet articles, or vessels subject to overflow. It is designed more especially for holding beer glasses;

The invention consists in the herein described construction of the tray, the details of which will first be set forth, and the novel features then pointed out and claimed.

Today in 1860, US Patent 29666 A was issued, an invention of Robert D. Bryce, for his “Attachment of Covers to Glass Vessels,” or “Pitcher Cover.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

I have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mode of Attaching Metallic Covers to Mugs, &o.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being’ had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which Figure l is a perspective representation of a glass mug, with a metallic cover attached thereto on my improved plan. Fig. 2 is a side view of the metallic cover, detached from the mug showing a vertical section of the hinge piece, and the handle of the mug in the same plane. Fig. 3 is a View of the cover and part of t-he handle of a mug similar to Fig. 2, showing a slight modification of the mode of attachment.

In the several figures, like letters of reference denote similar parts.

There are several articles of domestic use, which it is convenient to furnish with metallic covers, to open readily with a hinge, such as lager-beer mugs, cream-pitchers, molasses-pitchers, and other vessels. These metallic covers are made with a. hinge usually placed near the handle, the hinge piece being in two pieces, united by a pin or pivot, the upper hinge piece being united to, and forming part of the cover, and the lower hinge piece being attached to the vessel and thereby securing the cover to the vessel. It has been found difficult, however, to limit the lower hinge piece of the cover to the vessel, so as to form a neat and workmanlike job, without casting it on to the handle of the mug, pitcher, but this is expensive in itself, and is very apt to break the vessel, if it be made of glassware.

My improvement consists in attaching the upper hinge piece of the cover immediately to the handle, or to a projection on or near the rim of the vessel, so as to dispense with the lower hinge piece of metal.

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.

Today in 2006, US Patent 7028505 B2 was issued, an invention of Clement Albert Maus, for his “Cooling Device For Beer Pitcher.” Here’s the Abstract:

A beverage chiller device for a serving pitcher has a lower stainless steel cylinder and an upper food-grade plastic sleeve. The upper end of the device is open to receive ice. A flexible strap attached onto the upper sleeve has a free end that can pass through a handle of the serving pitcher, with the lower end of the device immersed in the beverage and situated at a base of said pitcher. The flexible strap forms a closed loop that secures the chiller device to the serving pitcher. The flexible strap also permits the chiller device to pivot when the pitcher is tipped for pouring, so that the device remains more or less erect, and so meltwater does not pour out of the chiller device when the customer is pouring a drink from the pitcher. The flexible strap allows the stainless steel cylinder to drop down to the base of the pitcher, so the cylinder remains immersed in the beverage at the bottom of the pitcher.

Today in 1962, US Patent D 192604 S was issued, an invention of Frank W. Evans, for his “Combination Beer Glass and Cocktail Shaker.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The ornamental design for a combination beer glass and cocktail shaker, as shown.