LIQUID TRANSFER DEVICE

摘要

The disclosure relates to a device for use in draining ketchup and the like from a bottle having a neck defining a mouth, and a receptacle for receiving ketchup and the like drained from said bottle. The receptacle comprises a flat bottom, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a top edge, and an externally projecting annular rim which extends around the top edge. The device itself includes an upper portion of annular shape having an opening for receiving the neck of the bottle with the bottle in an inverted position. A generally cylindrical skirt portion extends downwardly from the outer periphery of the upper portion and a plurality of support legs depend from the skirt portion in spaced positions. The legs are arranged to support the device in stable equilibrium on a support surface with the upper portion of the device in an elevated position in which the bottle is held clear of the support surface so that the receptacle can be placed below the neck of the bottle for receiving drained ketchup and the like. The device also includes a plurality of fingers, each having an inner end portion coupled to the upper portion of the device and a free outer end portion. The fingers extend inwardly of the opening in the upper portion of the device and are curved downwardly for engagement with the neck of the bottle. The fingers are resiliently flexible so that they can be deflected outwardly by the bottle, whereby the fingers exert an inwardly biassing effect against the neck of the bottle and are capable of accommodating bottles of varying sizes. The skirt portion of the device is dimensioned so that the receptacle can be lifted into a storage position when the device is not in use, with said annular rim of the receptacle nested inside said skirt portion immediately below said upper portion. The skirt portion of the device includes a plurality of retaining elements projecting inwardly of said portion for engagement below the rim of the receptacle and arranged so that the annular rim of the receptacle can be forced over the retaining elements in bringing the receptacle into and from its storage position.