US1170705A - Dispensing-cabinet for collapsible drinking-cups or the like. - Google Patents

Description

W. E. SWIFT.

DISPENSING CABINET FOR COLLAPSIBLE DRINKING CUPS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 9. 1912.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

I To all whom'it may concern:

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented IFeh. 8, 1916.

Application filediltovember 9, 1912. Serial No. 730,4t7.

Be it known that I, WILLARD citizen of. the United States, residing at tVorcest'er, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement -in Dispensing-Cabinets for Collapsible Drinks ing-Cups or the like, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawing,'is a specification.

My invention relates to dispensing cabinets, for collapsible drinkln cups or the like and resides more particu arly in an improved means for projecting collapsible cups or the like from such cabinets.

The subject matter of the present invention consists in an improvement in the dispensing cabinet disclosed in my former application for Dispensing cabinets for collapsible drinking cups and -similar articles, Serial No. 717,026, filed Augustjfi, 1912.

It has been found in practice that the projecting means shown in my former application is not as certain in its action as is desired, and an object of the present invention is to provide an improved cup projecting means that will be certain to at each operation.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a dispensing cabinet provided with projecting means constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. v2 is a; horizontal sectional view on the line 2+2 of Fig. 1, the position of the collapsible cups within the cabinet being shown by broken lines; Fig.

project a cup 3 is a rear view of the improved. projecting means together with a collapsible cup in po sition to be engaged thereby ,Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of'the projecting means; and

Fig. 5 is a view of a form of cup adapted to be used in connection with a cabinet constructed in accordance with my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the difierent figures.

The cabinet 1 is of suitable size and shape to accommodate a stack of collapsible drinking cups 2 or the like. A shelf 3'is rigidly fixed within the cabinet for supporting the stack of cups 2. Spacedbelow this shelf 3 is a second shelf 4 upon which rests a slide 5 held against the upper face of the shelf 4 by short projections 6 extending downwardly from the shelf 3. The slide 5 is provided at its rear end'with a: stud 5 on which is p votally supported a "if-shaped cup engaging member 7, the upright stem 7 of this T-shaped member 7 extending upwardly through a slot 8- in the shelf3. The horizontal arms 7" of the T-shaped. member when in a horizontalposition are slightly ra sed-above the shelf 3. The slot 8 is sufficiently wide to allow' a slight rocking movement of the T-shaped member. The sllde 5 extends sidewise in both directions to the sides of the cabinet so that'it is guided in a backward and "forward path upon the shelf 4, and the slot 8 inthe shelf 3 extends 1n a direction parallel to the path of the sllde 5 to allow the cup engaging member to move with the slide.

rest in the cabinet and each prong 9 engages the on between the longitudinal center and one e ge thereof. The cup engaging member 7 is tall enough to raise the rear end of the lowermost'cup somewhat above its supporting shelf 3. v

The cupsintended for use in the cabinet are in general inthe. shape of an open end envelop as shown at A, Fig.- 5, that is, the cups are collapsible. or flat with one end open and with one edge at the open end extending beyond the other edge forming a flap 1B. The cups are laid horizontally in the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 1, with the open ends to the rear and with the flap B,

uppermost. When the slide 5 and. the cup engaging member 7 are in their -.rearmost positions, thls cup engaging member lies at the rear ofthe shorter edge 0 of the cup and beneath the flap B. The prongs 9, therefore, press upwardly against the inner surface of the longer face of the cup, thus tending to open the" cup. ft is found in practice, however, thatthe lower face of the cup. tends," under these-circumstances, to rest against the upper". face along the median line of the cup, as shown atll, Fig. 3. It is for this reasonthat the prongsjha're located between this median line. and the sides of the cup, a prong located: at the median line of the cup. being liable at times 1 to pass a under the lower face of the cupdnstead of tail one embodiment'of m engaging the.edge C in itsforward motion.

It -is also found in practice,

cup and the sides thereof, when the flap'B is resting-upon the cup engaging member 7, the upper and lower faces of the" cup tend to separate, as shown in Fig; 3, thus providing spaces for the two prongs to enter so, as to insure positive engagement between the cup engaging member and the rear edge of the lower face of the cup.

Inasmuch as the cups are not rigid in character and are sometimes slightly bent or warped, the cup engaging member 1s pivotally mounted upon the slide 5 in order that it may tip toward one side or the other of the cabinet until both prongs v 9 bear against the flap B. The slide 5 extends at its beoperated.

A pin 13 extending downwardly from the slide 5 through a suitable slot 13 in the cups,

shelf 4 has'its owerend connectedto a fixed point ,at the rear of the cabinet by a spring 14, whichacts to retract thev slide'f5 to its normal position after it has been used to project a cup from the cabinet. A weight 15 is provided to rest upon the stack of cups t e 2 toiinsure their pro er descent within cabinet. A small she f 16 with a finger recess 17 in its 'front edge is provided to support the cups as they are withdrawn through the opening 10. A

While I have shown and described in deinvention and one application thereof, I 0 not wish to be however, that between the median line of the lowermost aboutan axis parallel to andhaving projections on each side of said.

forward end through the front face of the cabinet and is-provided at its forwardend with a hook 12 by which the 'slide maythe cabinet.

limited to s uch; details ascertain changes may be made without departing from the .spirit of the invention;v but- What .I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is: y p Y 1.In a disp rising-cabinet for drinking cups, an ejecting mechanism for moving each; cup in the plane of its flat or extended position, comprising a slide, movable in the direction of the median line of the cup, and cup engaging means, pivoted to said slide said median line,

median line adapted to contact with said cup.

cups, an ejecting mechanism for moving eachcup in 'theplane ofiits Hater-extended.

arms of said T-shaped member having prongs to engage an edge of the cup at each side of its, center,

Dated this seventh day of November,

WILLARD E. SWIFT. Witnesses: l

Panniers Consumes,

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2.. In a dispensing cabinet for drinking to project'the cup from

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