GB2120214A - Dispenser for sheets or forms - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing sheets or forms, such as two-part betting forms, comprises a support member for carrying the forms to be dispensed. A casing 20 is slidably received by the support member and has a dispensing opening at its top end. The casing is provided with a lip 26 and a roller 24 for retaining the forms on the support member. The arrangement is such that a constant weight, i.e. the weight of the casing, is applied to the topmost form regardless of the state of the stack of forms thus requiring a constant force for removal of a form. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Forms dispenser This invention relates to a forms dispenser for sheets of paper and has particular application in dispensing betting forms which comprise two sheets one of which is longer than the other.

Known dispensers for betting forms suffer from the disadvantage that, in use, more than one form is dispensed at anytime resulting in wastage of the additional forms.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a forms dispenser which obviates or mitigates the above disadvantage and is simple and cheap to manufacture.

According to the present invention there is provided a forms dispenser comprising a support member for carrying the forms to be dispensed and a casing slidably received by the support member and having a dispensing opening at the top end thereof, the casing including means for retaining the forms on the support member.

Preferably, said retaining means comprises a roller at the rear end of the casing and a lip on the front end of the casing.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support member of one embodiment of a forms dispenser made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a slidable casing for use with the support member of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevational side view showing the support member fixed to a wall and having a supply of forms, but with the casing removed; Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 with the casing fitted and the dispenser almost full; and Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 with the dispenser almost empty.

Referring to the drawings one embodiment of a forms dispenser comprises a support member 1 and a casing 2. The support member is substantially L-shaped having a vertical portion 11 provided with apertures 12 for attaching the support member 1 to a wall 4. The shorter horizontal leg of the member 1 is a support shelf 13 for forms 5 which preferably are two-part forms, the lower part being slightly longer than the upper part.

The casing 2 is adapted to be received slidably over the support member 1 and comprises a pair of opposed sides 20,21 and a front 22. The casing 2 is open at the top and bottom and its rear apart from a pair of in-turned flanges 23 which serve to locate behind the vertical leg 11 of the support member 1.

At the top rearmost areas of the sides, the casing 2 is further provided with a roller 24 which joins the two sides 20, 21 and cooperates with the flanges 23 to ensure accurate sliding of the casing 2 on the vertical leg 11 of the support member 1. A rearwardly extending lip 26 on the front 22 engages the longer, lower part of the forms and together with the roller 24 causes the upper part of the form to be lifted clear of the lower part allowing easy removal of a single two-part form.

As the forms are removed, the casing 2 moves downwardly relative to the support member 1, its height being determined by the number of forms in the dispenser. As the supply of forms does not move a constant weight, the weight of the casing 2, is applied to the top-most forms. In this way the force required to remove a single form remains substantially constant.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, to comply with current regulations, the casing 2 may be provided with a top cover, which may be hinged or fixed to the sides 20, 21 of the casing 2. The purpose of the cover is to ensure that only a small part of the forms 4 can be seen before removal.

1. A forms dispenser comprising a support member for carrying the forms to be dispensed and a casing slidably received by the support member and having a dispensing opening at the top end thereof, the casing including means for retaining the forms on the support member.

2. A forms dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a roller at the rear end of the casing and a lip on the front end of the casing.

3. Aforms dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Forms dispenser This invention relates to a forms dispenser for sheets of paper and has particular application in dispensing betting forms which comprise two sheets one of which is longer than the other. Known dispensers for betting forms suffer from the disadvantage that, in use, more than one form is dispensed at anytime resulting in wastage of the additional forms. It is an object of the present invention to provide a forms dispenser which obviates or mitigates the above disadvantage and is simple and cheap to manufacture. According to the present invention there is provided a forms dispenser comprising a support member for carrying the forms to be dispensed and a casing slidably received by the support member and having a dispensing opening at the top end thereof, the casing including means for retaining the forms on the support member. Preferably, said retaining means comprises a roller at the rear end of the casing and a lip on the front end of the casing. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support member of one embodiment of a forms dispenser made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a slidable casing for use with the support member of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevational side view showing the support member fixed to a wall and having a supply of forms, but with the casing removed; Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 with the casing fitted and the dispenser almost full; and Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 with the dispenser almost empty. Referring to the drawings one embodiment of a forms dispenser comprises a support member 1 and a casing 2. The support member is substantially L-shaped having a vertical portion 11 provided with apertures 12 for attaching the support member 1 to a wall 4. The shorter horizontal leg of the member 1 is a support shelf 13 for forms 5 which preferably are two-part forms, the lower part being slightly longer than the upper part. The casing 2 is adapted to be received slidably over the support member 1 and comprises a pair of opposed sides 20,21 and a front 22. The casing 2 is open at the top and bottom and its rear apart from a pair of in-turned flanges 23 which serve to locate behind the vertical leg 11 of the support member 1. At the top rearmost areas of the sides, the casing 2 is further provided with a roller 24 which joins the two sides 20, 21 and cooperates with the flanges 23 to ensure accurate sliding of the casing 2 on the vertical leg 11 of the support member 1. A rearwardly extending lip 26 on the front 22 engages the longer, lower part of the forms and together with the roller 24 causes the upper part of the form to be lifted clear of the lower part allowing easy removal of a single two-part form. As the forms are removed, the casing 2 moves downwardly relative to the support member 1, its height being determined by the number of forms in the dispenser. As the supply of forms does not move a constant weight, the weight of the casing 2, is applied to the top-most forms. In this way the force required to remove a single form remains substantially constant. Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, to comply with current regulations, the casing 2 may be provided with a top cover, which may be hinged or fixed to the sides 20, 21 of the casing 2. The purpose of the cover is to ensure that only a small part of the forms 4 can be seen before removal. CLAIMS

1. A forms dispenser comprising a support member for carrying the forms to be dispensed and a casing slidably received by the support member and having a dispensing opening at the top end thereof, the casing including means for retaining the forms on the support member.

2. A forms dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a roller at the rear end of the casing and a lip on the front end of the casing.

3. Aforms dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.