Spark plug retainer

Claim 1

The combination of a package and a removable retainer plate for storing and supporting a plurality of spark plugs of a selected size in a manner to prevent damage thereto as well as to maintain the spark plugs in an orderly relationship when the retainer plate is removed from the package, each of the spark plugs including a tapered insulating portion having a terminal at one end and a base portion with an electrode at the opposite end, comprising package means including wall structure substantially surrounding at least the electrodes of a plurality of spark plugs, a retainer plate normally located within said package means and including a thin generally rectangular body of substantially rigid material having flat upper and lower surfaces, said retainer plate having a plurality of openings disposed in spaced generally parallel rows along the same, each of said openings of said retainer plate including a larger partially circular portion inter-connected to a smaller partially circular portion by a reduced waist, each of said partially circular portions extending substantially more than half the diameter of each portion, each of said partially circular portions including a peripheral wall extending entirely through said retainer plate, said wall of said larger partially circular portion being of a size to frictionally engage and retain the insulated portion of a spark plug of a first size adjacent to the base portion thereof, said wall of said smaller partially circular portion being of a size to frictionally engage and retain the insulated portion of a spark plug of a second size adjacent to the base portion thereof, each of said openings receiving only one spark plug at a time so that a series of spark plugs of a selected size are frictionally retained within selected partially circular portions with their electrodes located on the same side of said retaining plate, and a removable wall member engageable with said package wall structure and said retainer plate, said wall member being of a size to space said electrodes from said package wall structure to protect the spark plugs during storage, whereby said retainer plate supports a plurality of spark plugs within said package means during storage and may be removed from said package means after which said spark plugs may be removed one at a time from said retainer plate for use.