US2252150A - Dispenser - Google Patents

Description

. E, WM. A.WH1TF1EL.D

DISPENSER Filed Dec. 6, 1939 Patented Aug. l2, 1941 UNETE eras rAreNT orsi-,ce

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to dispensing devices, and more particularly to devices for dispensing tobacco and filling a tobacco pipe.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dispensing device for dispensing line cut granular or powdered material, and one in which caking of the material is prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved tobacco dispensing device by means of which a tobacco smoking pipe may be conveniently and quickly filled without waste of tobacco.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which is eiiicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical, central sectional view of the improved dispensing device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the device shown partly broken away and in section and also showing a smoking pipe in position to receive tobacco from the device.

Fig. 3 is a view of the device shown partly in cross section and partly in elevation, taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the device shown in cross section, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view of the device, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the device Shown includes a container l0 which is preferably cylindrical in shape having a bottom wall ll and a removable top wall or cover I2. Within the container lll, adjacent the bottom wall II thereof, is a substantially horizontal, removable wall or partition I3 which divides the interior of the casing I0 into an upper storage chamber i4 and a lower chamber I5, the removable partition I3 being provided adjacent the side wall of the container l0 with an opening or passage I6 for the passage or descent of tobacco or other material by gravity from the upper chamber I i into the lower chamber I5. Positioned within the lower chamber I5, a cylinder Il is formed integral with a plate I3 which extends across and seats on the bottom Wall of the container and the plate I8 may be secured to the container bottom Wall by screws I9 or by other suitable means. 'I he longitudinal axis of the cylinder Il extends transversely of the container I0 and the cylinder is provided with an upper opening or inlet 2l through the side wall thereof, which opening 2li registersl with, the Vopening It in the partition I3. 'The cylinder Il is further provided with an outer reduced end portion 2I which projects externally of the erasing I0 through an aperture in the container side wall adjacent the bottom thereof, the reduced portion 2| having a discharge opening in its outer end. Within the cylinder Il there is a plunger or piston 22'adapted to discharge material, such as tobacco, from the outlet 2|, the tobacco entering the cylinder through the aligned openings It and 20 under control of the plunger 22.

Extending vertically within the container lli there is a manually rotatable shaft or rod 23 for actuating the piston 2,2, the upper end of the rod 23 projecting externally of the container and being providedwith a manually operable knob 24 for conveniently rotating the rod. At its lower end, the rod A23 extends through an aperture in the removable partition I3 beneath which the rod 23 is provided with a collar 25 for seating on an upper horizontal extension arm 26 of the plate I8. The removable partition I3 unattachedly seats on the rod collar l5, cylinder il, and on a pair of legs or pins Zta, which are secured toy the partition and seat on the container bottom wall II. A crank arm 2l' is secured to the lower end of the rod 23 within the lower compartment I 5 and a connecting link 28 is provided having one end thereof pivotally connected to the crank arm and having the other end thereof pivotally connected to the piston 22. It will be seen that by means of the knob 2li, the shaft 23 may be rotated and through the crank arm 2l and the link 28, the piston or plunger 22 may be reciprocated, the piston being moved 'outwardly andretracted each revolution of the knob. Preferably, a pointer 29 is provided on the knob 2Q for cooperation with indicia, such as a marker 29a, for indicating the operation of the plunger 22.

In Figs. land 2 of the drawing, the piston or plunger 22 is shown in its extreme outward position in which position the outer end of the piston projects slightly beyond or past the outer discharge end of its cylinder il. When the crank 2l is rotated through 180 degrees from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the piston 22 is retracted and the outer end thereof positions within the cylinder such that passage 20 is completely or fully open to permit tobacco or other material in the upper chamber I4 to pass or fall downwardly through the opening 20 into the cylinder The removable partition |3 is provided with an upwardly extending boss 3|] which is spaced from the operating rod 23 and on the upper end of the boss is mounted a rotatable, substantially horizontal plate member 3| which overlies the openings or passages I6 and 20. The plate member 3| may be rotatably mounted on the upper end of the boss 30 by a screw or by other suitable means. Carried by the plate 3| is a plurality of equally and radially spaced conveyor members 33 for conveying or pushing material or tobacco into the discharge opening I6. These conveyor members 33 may be in the form of L-shaped plate members and are secured to and depend from the under side of the rotatable plate 3| to within close proximity of the upper surface of the partition I3. Also carried by the rotatable plate member 3| is a plurality of upwardly directed agitator members in the form of pins 34 and these pins 34 and the conveyor members 33 may be rigidly secured together and to the plate member 3| by screws 35 or by other means. In addition to serving as agitators for the tobacco or other material to break up lumps or cakes thereof that might form in the storage chamber I4, the pins 34 cooperate with a drive member 3S on the shaft 23 for rotating the plate member 3|. The drive member 3S includes a tubular portion 31 from which extends oppositely directed arms 38 adapted to engage the pins 34 of the plate member 3| to rotate the latter, and the drive member 36 may be secured to the rod 23 by a pin 39 provided in the tubular portion 31.

In operation, assuming that the present device is used as a dispenser of fine cut smoking tobacco, the pipe as illustrated in Fig. 1 is arranged with the bowl over the discharge end 2| of the cylinder I'I and then by means of the knob 24 the piston 22 is moved outwardly, thereby forcing a quantity of tobacco into the bowl of the pipe and at the same time closing passage 2i). Upon further rotation of the knob 24, the plunger 22 is retracted and opens passage 23 permitting tobacco to fall down into the cylinder in advance of the plunger for discharge the next time the plunger moves outwardly. This operation may have to be made two or three times depending on the size of the pipe and how full it is desired to fill the bowl of the pipe with tobacco. The plunger 22 not only di-spenses the tobacco in certain quantities but also is adapted to dispense the tobacco directly into the bowl of the pipe and further aids in properly packing the tobacco in the pipe bowl. When the device is operated to dispense tobacco, the plate member 3| is also rotated by rotation of rod 23 and the conveyor members 33 push or feed tobacco into the opening I6, thereby assuring that the cylinder |'I will always receive a quantity of tobacco upon return of the plunger 22 to its retracted position. In addition, when the tobacco is dispensed, the agitator members 34 operate to agitate the tobacco to prevent oaking of the same thus assuring there will always be loose tobacco in position for movement by the conveyor members 33 into the discharge opening I6.

While I have shown and described my dispenser with respect to the dispensing of pipe tobacco and the filling of a tobacco pipe, it will be understood that the device can be used for dispensing such other material as, for example, coffee, tea, sugar, etc.

What I claim is:

l. In a dispenser of the character described, a container having a lower wall provided with an opening therethrough for passage of material in said container, a cylinder within said container beneath said lower wall, said cylinder in the side wall thereof having an opening communieating with the opening in said lower wall for passage of the material into said cylinder, said cylinder having an outlet for passage of material externally of said container, a plunger in said cylinder operable to discharge material from sai-d outlet, manually operable means externally of said container for operating said plunger, means operatively connecting said manually operable means and said plunger, means for moving material into said opening, and means operativeiy connecting said last-named means and said manually operable means and operable to agitate the material in said container.

2. In a dispenser of the character described, a container having an internal removable wall dividing the interior thereof into an upper storage chamber and a lower discharge chamber, said wall having an opening therethrough for passage of material from said upper chamber into said lower chamber, said container having a bottom wall having a cylinder in said discharge chamber extending transversely of said container, said cylinder having an inlet opening in the side wall thereof in communication with the opening in said removable wall and having a discharge outlet for discharge of material externally of said container, a plunger in said cylin-der for discharging material from said outlet, a vertically extending manually operable shaft extending externally of said casing crank means operatively connecting said shaft and said plunger, a plate member rotatably mounted on said partition in said storage chamber, a plurality of plate members carried by and depending from said plate member for feeding the material into said opening, a plurality of spaced upwardly directed extended members carried by said plate member for agitating the material, and means carried by said shaft and cooperable with said extended members for rotating said plate member.

3. In a dispenser' having a storage chamber provided with an outlet for material, a rotatable plate member overlying said outlet, a plurality of spaced depending members carried by and on the underside of said rotatable plate member for pushing material to said outlet, a plurality of spaced agitator members carried by said plate member and extending upwardly therefrom respectlvely from said first members, and means connecting said first-named members and said agitator members together and to said plate member.

ALBERT WHITFIELD.

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