Multiple bottle carrier

Claim 2

A multiple bottle carrier comprising a top bottleneck-gripping member of generally rectangular shape having plural slots of a selected width therein each open at one end and oriented transversely of said member in spaced apart relation to accommodate bottles each having an operative position in said carrier in which the neck of a bottle is projected upwardly through one said slot and a larger diameter cap is engaged to the bottleneck to obviate reverse direction movement through said slot, a closure element for said slots oriented transversely of said top member adjacent said slot end openings and arranged for opening and closing movements relative to said slot end openings, an upstanding grip along said top member remote from said slot end openings in overhanging relation to said top member, a slot size-adjusting member having an operative superposed relationship with said top member with an edge thereof engaged beneath said upstanding grip, said slot size-adjusting member having slots therein each open at the same one end thereof as said slots of said top member to receive bottles through said open ends and adapted to assume a selected degree of misalignment relative to said slots of said top member so as to diminish the effective width of said slots of said top member to the extent of said degree of misalignment, whereby said slots of said carrier are adapted to be used for a range of sizes of bottles, and means depending from said top member to support bottles held in the carrier free of contact with a support surface.

Claim 3

A multiple bottle carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said top member is sized to have at least three spaced apart slots therein and said closure element is of a corresponding size and of a springy construction material, whereby said size and springy construction material of said closure element enables the flexuring thereof to provide said opening and closing movements relative to said slot end openings.

Claim 4

A multiple bottle carrier as defined in claim 2 including a carrying handle connected to extend along a medial plane transverse to said slots of said top member, whereby said handle is substantially at the center of balance of said carrier.

Claim 5

A multiple bottle carrier comprising a top bottleneck-gripping member of generally rectangular shape having plural slots of a selected width therein each open at one end and oriented transversely of said member in spaced apart relation to accommodate bottles each having an operative position in said carrier in which the neck of a bottle is projected upwardly through one said slot and a larger diameter cap is engaged to the bottleneck to obviate reverse direction movement through said slot, a closure element for said slots oriented transversely of said top member adjacent said slot end openings and arranged for opening and closing movements relative to said slot end openings, an upstanding grip along said top member remote from said slot end openings in overhanging relation to said top member, and a slot size-adjusting member having an operative superposed position on said top member with an edge thereof engaged beneath said upstanding grip, said slot size-adjusting member having slots therein adapted to assume a selected degree of misalignment relative to said slots of said top member so as to diminish the effective width thereof to the extent of said degree of misalignment, whereby said carrier is adapted to be used for a range of sizes of bottles, said top member is sized to have at least three spaced apart slots therein and said closure element is of a corresponding size and of a springy construction material, whereby said size and springy construction material of said closure element enables the flexuring thereof to provide said opening and closing movements relative to said slot end openings, a carrying handle connected to extend along a medial plane transverse to said slots of said top member, whereby said handle is substantially at the center of balance of said carrier, walls connected in depending relation from said top member so as to extend from between and below said bottles, whereby said carrier is supportable on a support surface along the bottom edges of said walls with said bottles held in a clearance position from said support surface.

Claim 6

A multiple bottle carrier comprising a top bottleneck-gripping member of generally rectangular shape having plural slots of a selected width therein each open at one end and oriented transversely of said member in spaced apart relation to accommodate bottles each having an operative position in said carrier in which the neck of a bottle is projected upwardly through one said slot and a larger diameter cap is engaged to the bottleneck to obviate reverse direction movement through said slot, a closure element for said slots oriented transversely of said top member adjacent said slot end openings and arranged for opening and closing movements relative to said slot end openings, an upstanding grip along said top member remote from said slot end openings in overhanging relation to said top member, and a slot size-adjusting member having an operative superposed position on said top member with an edge thereof engaged beneath said upstanding grip, said slot size-adjusting member having slots therein adapted to assume a selected degree of misalignment relative to said slots of said top member so as to diminish the effective width thereof to the extent of said degree of misalignment, whereby said carrier is adapted to be used for a range of sizes of bottles, said top member is sized to have at least three spaced apart slots therein and said closure element is of a corresponding size and of a springy construction material, whereby said size and springy construction material of said closure element enables the flexuring thereof to provide said opening and closing movements relative to said slot end openings, a carrying handle connected to extend along a medial plane transverse to said slots of said top member, whereby said handle is substantially at the center of balance of said carrier, walls connected in depending relation from said top member so as to extend from between and below said bottles, whereby said carrier is supportable on a support surface along the bottom edges of said walls with said bottles held in a clearance position from said support surface.

Claim 7

A multiple bottle carrier as defined in claim 4 wherein said carrying handle is pivotally connected to said two walls serving as the opposite sides of said carrier, whereby said handle is pivotally movable into an out-of-the-way storage position when not in use.

Claim 8

A multiple bottle carrier as defined in claim 5 wherein said construction material for said depending walls is transparent, such that said bottles are not masked from view.