US2635025A - Dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1953 Z|SKA 42,635,025

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed 001;. 28, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 April 14, 1953' A. ZISKA 2,635,025

DISPENSING DEVICE I Filed Oct. 28 a 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Lww Patented Apr. 14, 1953 PATENT oretes G DEVICE This: invention; relatesv tnimpmvement'sl in; dis-. perusing; devices; and morerparticularly. to. devices for: dispensing individually..- packaged; sponns. or. 171183 like,

when. ai food product such. as ice; cream;. is;

sold incontainerssuch as paper; cupsifori immediate consumption, it is both desirable and neces.

samto, pnov-idev the; purchaser. with. a spoon.

Health: laws; many States: require that; such; spoons;.whicharegusually formediof wood-or. cardboard; bewpnoteotedbyaisealwlwrappen III-260m! pliance; with: the: 1aw,..these. spoons? are. usually packaged. in flat: paper: tubes which. are.- sealed;

atibothendsa Vending; machines as heretofore. developed; have: failed; to provide.- satisfiactor-y means.. f;o1r dis.- pensing; wrapped. spoonsgot this typebecause the. thinness oftheepackage combines, with the loose; fit. of thefsnoonin. the paper tubeto, render the.- useful?conventionalispoonidispensing:devicesune saltisfaetoim. Themeason for this isthatjamming. oftenaoccurs. when-conventional devices.v are used.

Itis therefore... a generah objecto-fi the;pr.esent.- inventionztm providean improved; device. 01: dis; pensing wrapped spoons or the like.

furthers. more: specific. object; of. the 111M611! tiom into-provide; a. devieei. of; the. class described; wherein, positive operation and. the prevention.- of.. jammingiszassuredby therusez-ofineedle elements. whic-ha are adapted to. temporarily innoale:- the. packagebwpiercingz the. spoon through. the paper. wrapping,- thereof, said. packaged spoon, being. movedhorizontally by said-nneedlezelements from theubottomtof; a stack. to: a discharge. position.

A. furthen: objectof: the. inventionis; to provide. aldeviceof the--.class. described whichmay either be; incorporated in. a. fond vending; machines. 01:. useda separately therefrom.

A further obi ,ectl oi. the. invention.isto,v provide; a device of the. classvdescribed; Whichis relatively simple.imconstruotionand inexpensive to manufacture, and; repair, and; which. is. otherwise, well" adapted. for: the. purposes. described;

Inthe. drawings accomp anying; and forming; a part of this specification; wherein is; shown. onecomplete; embodiment. of the preferred form. of the-inventionswhereinlike characters of-"referenceindicatethe same partsin all'offthe-viewsz- F.ig. 1. isv a. fragmentary front elevational view of the improved dispensing device, part of" the front wall thereof being broken away Fig. .2, is. a vertical sectional viewtaken approxi mately'al'ongthe line 2-2- of Fig; I

31s a view similarto Fig: 2 but showing another positionof-the parts ofthe improved device during a dispensing operation; and

Eig, sis a. plamview of;'az-.-paekag.ed. ispooniofithe type, the. improved;v dev.1ce...is-: designed to. handle;

Reierringg more particularly-to; L and; 2. oil the; drawingthe numeral. I D. indieatesi 92 83311.- erally channekshapedi. frame; membeiz made-o1: sheet metal and. having: parallel vertical. front; and-rear walls.v H and, I22. Thezframe; l0, alsolhas. an. upper "horizontal wall. [3, aswell as; an. angled. walliportion l4. joining thefrontiwall) H, with said. upper. wall I 3;. Connecting thelfront wallf Ll with. the rear wall l2 isa. fiangediverticaly partition. I'K. which isr riveted to said. walls as shown...

Positioned on top of the top; wall; 13- Qf; the. frame H1. is a; vertically extending; elongated: storagehopper [6 which; is c-shaped. in. transverse cross-section. The hopperilt haslapairof spaced; front wall. flanges I1; and. I 8, t.h=:.-.v lower ends-of; which, terminate; at: a point? spaced. above the; upper. wall-.13; as'at; l firandlm. Theehoppen. L6.- is: adapted 17018130116 .a-pluralityoLpackagedwoQden spoons-2 I. as. shownlin: Figs. 1-...2.1-and .3i. Referring, to; Fig. 4 each; package. 251. comprises a"... flattened; paper; tube 2 2..in-..which\is contained; aaflat woodem. spoon. 21:01:- the. like. The-endsoflthe when; are. crimped andrsealed as; at; 24- and 25;. Eixed. to

4 thellower end portionsrof. theszflanges LT and. 1.8..-

is; a; transversely extendingg member 16..- whichz is. generally L-shapedi in cross-sectiom Theimember; 2 E- has aihorizontal extent; 5n, the; bottom surface: ofi: which is parallel-1 with; andi spaced; aboveftha plane of. the: uppen suriacezofi the wall. k3... as;

shown.

Mounted; against; the; linden side. of? the walls I 3; and [4; and exten-ding3from-.-the; frontxwall. M to -neanthe rearrwall lrzgisra slideasupportingi and; uiding mem er 21:. The; r'nem-her- 21:. is: channel shapedin titansyerse-cross section: and; is formed. with a pair; of horizontally-- outwardly,- directed: flanges; 2:8 and: it at; the: upper: edgeof-f theisldea wallsthereof, said fiangeebemgrscrewedonothen wise:- attachedi to; the under: side 0f. the-walls. I133.

as: shown. The member: 2.1 has; its front. edge.

cut: at an; angleto fit: the; angularitmof; thewall; l4;.as1 shown,. and: also formed with. at. downs wardly directed front flange 30 whichis-screwed: or' otnerwise attachedii'tm the.-'frontiwalli H1... The side walls of the: member: 2:".- are formed with, a. airof elongated matching: longitudinal. slots; and the bottom wallithei'eoff is: formed. with: an. elongated longitudinal; slot- 32..

Sli'dably mounted-i in; the guiding and supporting member 25! is: a: slide membenfl: whichhass a rectangular: outlines transverse. section. cor. responding to the:- crQSS."'5eQt| 1Qna ]..$ha pe3 on thearea bounded: by the;- innenhettcm: anei'sidea walls of the memb er; Z12 amt lop-the. tenwaI-li: 113;. at. the;:

frame Ill. The rear wall l2 of the frame I is formed with an aperture 33 to permit the slide 32 to project therethrough, and the angled wall I 4 is formed with an aperture 34 for the same purpose.

The slide 32 is formed in its under side with a groove 35, which extends from the front end thereof to near the rear end, to give the slide 35 a channel-shaped transverse cross-section for a substantial portion of its length. The slide 32 is formed with a pair of aligned apertures 36 (see Fig. 1) in the opposite sidewalls of the grooved portion thereof. An elongated transverse shaft 31 extends through the apertures 36 and is journalled therein. The shaft 31 slidably projects through the slots 3| in the guide member 21, and at the opposite ends thereof are fixed, as with set screws, arms 38. The arms 38 carry at their outer ends needles 39 which are similar to phonograph needles.

A lever 40, which is formed with an aperture 40' adjacent one end thereof, is positioned with said apertured end in the groove 35 of the slide 32. The lever 40 projects through the slot 34 in the guide member 21 and is also fixedly mounted on the shaft 31, as by a set screw. A pair of stop shoulders 4| and 42 are formed on the lever 40 at the upper end thereof, said shoulders being so positioned as to be engageable with the upper wall of the groove 35 to limit the range of pivotal movement of the lever 40. The lever 40 is bifurcated at its lower end and carries a pin 43 at said end.

An inverted T-shaped lever 44 is pivotally mounted on one side of the partition for movement in a vertical plane parallel with the line of movement of the slide 32. The lever 44 has an upright arm 45 which is slotted at its upper end, as at 46, said slotted end being positioned between the bifurcations of the lever 43 with the shaft 43 received in the slot 46 as shown. The lever 44 has a rearwardly extending arm 41 to which is connected a coil tension spring 48 which is in turn connected to a suitable fixed support (not shown) in a manner to urge the lever 44 in a clockwise direction toward the solid line position of Fig. 2. The lever 44 has a forwardly projecting arm 49, to the end of which is connected a cable 50 or other suitable member by means of which the lever 44 may be urged in a counter-clockwise direction.

The angled wall l4 and the upper wall I3 are formed with a pair of spaced parallel slots 5| each of which extends in the same vertical plane as one of the arms 38, as shown in Fig. 1. Rearwardly of the hopper It, the upper wall |3 of the frame I0 is formed with an aperture 52 above the slide 32. A friction button 53 is formed on the end of a leaf spring 54 and extends through the aperture 52 into contact with the upper surface of the slide 32, as shown. The leaf spring 54 is fixed to the wall l3 as by a screw 55, said spring being operable to urge the button 53 into frictional engagement with the slide 32.

In operation, the spring 48 normally holds the levers 44 and 4|], arms 38, and slide 32 in their solid line inoperative positions of Fig. 2. To dispense a single spoon, the cable 50 is pulled downwardly by any suitable means to cause counterclockwise rotation of the lever 44 (as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3) against the tension of the spring 48. The first result of this counter-clockwise movement of the lever 44 is to swing the lower end of the lever 40 forwardly until the stop shoulder 4| of said lever abuts the upper wall of the.

groove 35 of the slide 32. The position of the parts when said abutment occurs is shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. The shaft 31 is bearinged freely in the apertures 36 of the slide 32 and is slidably movable in the slots 3| of the guide 21. Since the button 53 frictionally engages the slide 32, the lever 40 swings freely, as described, without causing movement of the slide 32 as long as the stop shoulders thereof are not in abutment with said slide.

As the lever 40 swings to the dot and dash line position of Fig. 2, the shaft 31 and the arms 38 fixed thereto are rotated an equal amount to their dot and dash line position shown in said figure. As the arms 38 swing upwardly during said rotation, the needles 39 project through the slots 5|, and the points thereof project into the lowermost spoon 2| in the hopper [6. The needles 39 continue to swing upwardly and then lift the entire stack of spoons 2| in the hopper I6 until the upper surfaceof the lowermost package 2| extends in substantially the same horizontal plane as the lower surface of the horizontal extent 53 of the L-shaped member 25. This condition obtains when the parts are disposed in their dot and dash line positions of Fig. 2.

As the lever 44 is moved further in a counterclockwise direction toward the position thereof shown in Fig. 3, the forward movement of the upper end of the arm 45 is transmitted to the slide 32, since the lever 40 cannot swing further forward after the shoulder 4| abuts the slide 32. The slide 32, shaft 31 and arms 33 move forwardly toward the positions thereof shown in Fig. 3. As this movement occurs, the arms 38 project through the slots 34 as the lowermost package 2|, which is impaled upon the needles 39, is moved forwardly out from under the stack to the position of Fig. 3. More than one package 2| is prevented from leaving the stack by the member 26. As the lowermost package 2| is moved clear of the stack, said stack drops down and is supported on the top of the wall I3, as shown in Fig. 3.

Upon releasing the cable 50, the spring 43 pulls the lever 44 in a clockwise direction. This moves the lower end of the lever 4|! rearwardly and tates the shaft and the arms 39 in a counterclockwire direction until the stop shoulder 42 of the lever 49 engages the upper wall of the groove 35 in the slide 32. Counterclockwise rotation of the arms 38 moves the needles 39 downwardly and retracts said arms and said needles through the slots 34. This swings the impaled packag 2| downwardly against the angled wall I4 and withdraws the needle points therefrom. The package then slides down off of the Wall l4 into any suitable chute or receptacle (not shown).

Upon abutment of the stop shoulder 42 with the slide 32, continued clockwise rotation of the lever 44 causes rearward movement of the lever 40, shaft 31, arms 38, and the slide 32 to their solid line positions of Fig. 2, and the dispensing cycle is completed.

It is apparent that the improved dispensing de- Vice is positive in operation and that there is o possibility of the packages therein being jammed or being otherwise caused to interfere with the operation of the device.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a dispensing device: a hopper in which packages are adapted to be vertically stacked, said hopper having a front opening at the bottom thereof; a stack support in the bottom of said hopper and having an inclined discharge portion projecting forwardly and downwardly from said front opening, said support being formed with a slot extending from a point within the hopper forwardly into said discharge portion; a slidable member mounted for forward and rearward lateral movement below said hopper; a pointed element vertically movably mounted on said slidable member and normally positioned below said stack support, said element being positioned for movement upwardly through said support aperture into impaling engagement with the lowermost package in said stack; actuating mechanism connected to said pointed element; means responsive to actuation of said pointed element in one direction for sequentially raising the latter to said impaling position and moving said raised element and said slidable member forwardly to move the impaled package completely through the discharge opening and over said projecting support portion; and means responsive to actuation of said pointed element in a reverse direction to cause withdrawal of said element through said ,support slot in the inclined discharge portion of said support to thereby deposit said package on said inclined discharge portion.

2. In a dispenser for wrapped wooden spoons or the like having a hopper in which said spoons are adapted to be vertically stacked, said hopper having a front opening adjacent the lower end thereof; a stack support at the bottom of said hopper, said support having a downwardly inclined discharge portion projecting forwardly of said hopper front opening and said support bein formed with an elongated aperture extending 6 from a point within the hopper forwardly into said projecting portion; a slidably mounted member positioned for lateral movement forwardly and rearwardly below said stack support; an arm pivotally mounted on said slidable member; a pointed element carried by said arm, said element and arm being normally in retracted position below said support and said hopper, and said pivotal arm being positioned to swing the pointed element upwardly through said support aperture and into impaling engagement with the lowermost spoon in the hopper upon being pivoted in a forward direction; means for causing forward movement of said slidable member upon continued forward actuation of said pivotal arm after impalement of the spoon to cause movement of the raised pointed element forwardly within said support aperture and movement of said spoon completely through the hopper opening and over the projecting support portion, said pivotal arm, upon actuation in a rearwardly direction at this forward position, being swingable downwardly to withdraw the pointed element through the support aperture and thereby strip the impaled spoon therefrom; and means for causing rearward movement of said slidable member and arm upon continued rearward actuation of said arm.

ADAM ZISKA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 213,000 Sperry Mar. 4, 1879 1,396,531 Schofield Nov. 8, 1921 1,453,019 Molins Apr. 24, 1923 1,459,504 Grover June 19, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 385,345 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1932

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