US3023931A - Dispensers - Google Patents

Description

March 6, 1962 J. w. CARLSON DISPENSERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fild Sept. 4, 1959 3o INVENTORs-i- J O H N W C R LSO N WW1 v le-nak- ATT 'Ys March 6, 1962 J. w. CARLSON DISPENSERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1959 FIG. 5

INVENTOR: JOHN W CARLSON BY ATT'YS nit-e aren't the 3,923,931 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 3,023,931 DISPENSERS John W. Carlson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Speed-O-Print Business Machines, a corporation of illinois Filed Sept. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 838,249 2 Claims. (Cl. 221-243) This invention relates to dispensers and more particularly to dispensers which are particularly well adapted for storing and dispensing sheets of light-sensitive paper, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel dispenser for sheet material, and the like.

Dispensers wherein sheets of paper, and the like, may be stored in a stack and dispensed therefrom one at a time have been heretofore known in the art. However, such dispensers as have heretofore been known have had several inherent disadvantages, such as, for example, being difficult to operate; being complicated in construction and operation; being expensive to manufacture; being relatively large and bulky in size; or being ineflicient and unreliable in operation, and the like. It is another important object of this invention to overcome such disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dispenser wherein a stack of light-sensitive paper, and the like, may be effectively stored under good stor-' age conditions, and the sheets may be dispensed therefrom one at a time, as needed, without effecting the good storage conditions for the remainder of the stack.

Another object is to provide a novel dispenser of the aforementioned type which is quickly and easily adapted for use with either long or short sheets.

Yet another object is to provide a novel dispenser of the aforementioned type which affords a compact, convenient and practical carrying case for transporting sheets of paper, and the like, under good storage conditions wherein the sheets are protected from light at all times.

A further object is to provide a novel dispenser wherein stacks of sheets of paper, and the like, may be stored, and from which the sheets may be ejected in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object is to afford a novel dispenser for sheets of paper, and the like, embodying novel ejector mechanism therein.

A further object is to afford a novel dispenser of the aforementioned type wherein parts are constituted and arranged in a manner wherein the sheets which are not to be dispensed in a particular sheet dispensing cycle of operation are effectively held in stored position therein in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dispenser of the aforementioned type wherein sheets being ejected therefrom are guided in a novel and expeditious manner during a sheet ejecting cycle of opera- U011.

Yet another object is to afford a novel ejector mechanism for sheet material, and the like, embodying rotatable members for engaging such sheet material which are constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object is to provide novel ejector mechanism of the aforementioned type embodying rotatable members which, during a dispensing cycle of operation, move back and forth over a stack of such sheets in a manner effective to move one of the sheets outwardly in an ejecting movement when the roller is moved in one direction and ineffective to move such a sheet when the roller moves in the other direction.

An object ancillary to the foregoing is to afford an ejector mechanism of the aforementioned type wherein such rollers are held against rotation ina novel and ex- 2 peditious manner during such movement therein in the aforementioned one direction, and the rollers are free to rotate during the movement thereof in the aforementioned other direction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel dispenser of the aforementioned type which is practical and efiicient in operation and may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof, and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made if desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a dispenser embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the dispenser shown in FIG. l, with the cover thereof raised in opened position;

FIG. 3 is .a fragmentary top plan view of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the cover thereof disposed in open position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 in FIG. 3, similar to FIG. 7 but showing parts in a different position;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially along line 9--9 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 10 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line Ill-10 in FIG. 4

A dispenser 1, embodying the principles of the present invention, is shown in'the drawings to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The dispenser 1 includes a housing 2 which embodies a base or body portion 3 and a cover 4, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The base 3 includes a rectangular shaped bottom wall 5, a rear wall 6, a front wall 7 and two end walls 8 and 9. The rear wall 6 and the end walls 8 and 9 are disposed substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 5, with the end walls 8 and 9 disposed in parallel relation to each other and the rear wall 6 extending therebetween in substantially perpendicular relation thereto. The front wall 7 projects upwardly and forwardly from the front edge portion of the bottom wall 5 and terminates at its upper edge portion 10 below the level of the upper edge portions of the rear wall 6 and the end walls 8 and 9, FIGS. 2 and 6.

The cover 4 includes a top wall 11 from which flanges 12, 13, 14 and 15 project downwardly from the rear, front, and two end edges thereof, respectively, FIG. 2. The top wall 11, like the bottom wall 5, is rectangular in shape, and the rear flange 12 and the two end flanges 14 and 15 project downwardly therefrom in substantially perpendicular relation thereto. The front flange 13 curves downwardly and outwardly away from the top wall 11 and terminates at its free'edge portion 16 in such position that when the cover 4 is disposed in closed position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, it is disposed directly above the free edge portion of the front wall 7 in relatively closely spaced parallel relation thereto to. thereby define with the free edge 16 of the front wall 7 a relatively narrow elcngatej slot 17 which extends longitudinally across the front of the housing 2, substantially the full length of the housing 2, FIGS. 1 and 6.

The cover 4 is hinged to the base 3 by suitable hinges 18- attached to the rear flange 12 and the rear wall 6, FIGS. 2 and 6, whereby the cover 4 may be pivoted on the hinges 18 between fully closed position, such as shown in FIG. 1, and fully open position, such as shown in FIG. 3, in which latter position the cover 4 affords a substantially horizontally extending projection of the base 3.

When the cover 4 is disposed in the aforementioned fully closed position, the top wall 11 rests on the upper edge portions of the rear wall 6 and the end walls 8 and 9 of the base 3, with the flanges 12, 14 and 1S positioned in outwardly disposed, relatively closely adjacent juxtaposition to the rear wall 6 and the end walls 8 and 9, respectively, of the base 3.

A partition wall 19 extends between the rear wall 6 and the front wall 7 of the base 3 in inwardly spaced, substantially parallel, relation to the end wall 9, FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. The partition wall 19 is perpendicular to the bottom wall Sand terminates at its front end portion forwardly of the endwall 2, FIGS. 2 and 3. It will be noted that the end wall 8 and the partition wall 19 are of equal length and both terminate forwardly of the end wall 9 in position to close the ends of the space between the front Wall 7 and the front flange 13 when the cover 4 is disposed in closed position, FIGS. 1 and 6.

Afront wall portion 20 projects perpendicularly inwardly from the front end of the end wail 9 of the base 3 and terminates in abutting engagement with the outer face of the partition wall 19 to thereby afford a front wall for a chamber 21 defined by the end wall 9, the partition wall 19, the rear wall 6, and the wall portion 20, disposed outwardly of the partition wall 19for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently. Two gripping members or bumpers 22 and 23 made of suitable, relatively soft elastic material, such as, for example, soft foamed latex or polyurethane foam are adhesively securedto the inner. faces of the rear end portions of the end wall 8 and the partition wall 19. The gripping members 22 and 23 are preferably in the form of substantially fiat rectangular, shaped biocks, FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, and are preferably disposed directly opposite each other, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

A removable slide 24 embodying a substantially flat rectangular shaped base 25 and an elongated member 26 projecting upwardly therefrom is mounted in theihousing 2 shown in the drawings, with the base 25 resting on the bottom wall 5 in abutting engagement with the inner face of the end wall 3 and the rear wall 6. The base 25 has a notch or recess 27 formed therein, FIG. 3, to afford clearance for the gripping member 22, and the member 26 is disposed in parallel relation to the end wall 8. The mernber 26 terminates at its front and rear ends in inwardly spaced relation to the front wall 7 and the rear wall 6, respectively, and is of the same height as the end wall 8 so that it affords another partition wall in the housing 2. Another gripping member or bumper 28, which is the same in construction as the bumpers 22 and 23, is mounted on the face of the member 26 which faces toward the partition wall 19, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently. The base 3, the cover member 4, and the slide 24, may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, sheet steel, or the like, and, if desired, the member 26 in the slide member 24 may be struck upwardly from a portion. of the base 25 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

The dispenser 1 is intended primarily for dispensing uniplanar fiat sheets, one at a time, from the top of a stack of such sheets and is particularly well adapted for storing and dispensing sheets of light-sensitive paper, such as, for example, paper commonly used in making photographic reproductions of documents, and the like. However, it will be appreciated by those in the art that my invention is not limited to a dispenser for photocopying paper and that it may be used to dispense other sheet material without departing from the purview of the present invention.

With the slide 24 mounted in normal operative position in the housing 2, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the walls 6, 7 and 19 of the base 3, the member 26 on the slide 24, and the gripping members 23 and 28 are so disposed relative to each other as to define the outer lateral boundaries of a substantially rectangularly shaped storage area on the bottom wall 5. A stack of sheets, such as, for example, the sheets 29, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be mounted in this storage area and the dimensions of the storage area are preferably such that when the sheets are so disposed therein, the rear wall 6 and the bottom portion of the front wall 7 are closely adjacent to the rear and front edges of the stack, and the gripping members 23 and 28 so closely engage theend edges of the stack that the gripping members 23 and 28 are somewhat com: pressed thereby, FIG. 5'. It will be remembered that the, gripping members 23 and 28 are made from a suitable elastic material, such as, for example, soft foamed latex so that it will be seen that when the members 23 and 28 are so engaged with the end edges of the stack of sheets,

tion as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the storage. area defined.

by the walls 6 and 7 and the gripping members 23 and 28 is relatively short as com-pared to the overall length of the housing 2. However, if it is desired to use the dispenser 1 for dispensing a longer sheet of paper, this may be readily accomplished by removing the slide 24 from the housing 2. It will be seen that the slide 24 may be readily removed from the housing 2 by merely lifting the same therefrom. With the slide 24 removed from the, housing 2, a relatively long storage area is defined by the walls 6, 7, 8 and 19 and the gripping members 22 and 23, this latter storage area having the same width as thepreviously mentioned storage area, namely, from the rear wall 6 to the bottom of the front wall 7, the ends of the new storage area being defined by the gripping members 22 and 23, respectively. The slot 17 extends longitudinally across the full length of the front of both of the two aforementioned storage areas and is of such width that a single sheet of paper, or the like, may be readily moved directly forwardly from either of the storage areas outwardly through the slot 17 for discharge from the housing 2.

As is shown in FIG. 6, the front wall 7 of the base 3 is so positioned that if the top of the stack of sheets from which the top sheet is to be dispensed through the open ing 17 is disposed below the opening 17, the front wall 7 affords a relatively gently upwardly sloping guide surface for guiding the sheet to theopening 17. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the flange 13 on the cover 4 is disposed in such position that if the top of the stack sheets from which the top sheet is to be dispensed through the opening 17 is disposed above the opening 17, the flange 13 affords a relatively gently downwardly sloping guide surface for guiding the top sheet to the opening 17.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the housing 2 affords an effective storage housing whereinja stack of sheets, such as, for example, sheets of photocopying material may be stored in a manner wherein they are effectively protected against exposure to light, the cover 4 fitting on the base 3 in closely fitting relation thereto except for the small slot 17 between the front edges 19 and 16 of the front wall 17 and the flange 13, respectively, and the slot 17 being disposed forwardly of the storage area and of such small width that suthcient light to deleteriously affect the paper stored in the housing 2 is not, under normal conditions, permitted to enter the housing 2. In this connection, I prefer to construct my housing 2 in such a manner that when the cover 4 is closed, the slot 17 has a width greater than the thickness of one of the sheets to be dispensed therethrough but is less than the thickness of three of such sheets.

Also it will be seen that with this construction of the housing 2, the dispenser 1 may be quickly and easily adapted to store, in the above mentioned manner, either one of two different lengths of paper, such as, for example, letter size paper or legal size paper, 'by merely placing the slide 24 in operative position in the housing 2 or removing the slide 24 therefrom, respectively.

The dispenser 1 also embodies a novel ejector mechanism or dispensing mechanism by which the top sheet of a stack of sheets disposed in either of the above mentioned storage areas in the housing 2 may be quickly and. easily fed outwardly from the housing 2 through the slot 17, without opening the cover 4.

The ejector mechanism 36 includes an ejector member 31 rotatably mounted on an elongated supporting member 32 which extends longitudinally through the chamber 21 and is mounted in the rear wall 6 and the front wall portion 20, FlGS. 2, 3 and 4. The supporting member 32 includes a substantially straight elongated pin 33 having a rear end portion 34 extending through an opening 35 in the rear wall 6 of the base 3, FIG. 4. The front end portion 36 of the pin 33 projects forwardly from the rear wall 6 in the chamber 21, and the supporting member 32 also includes an elongated sleeve 37 which is slidably mounted on the front end portion 36 of the pin 33. The pin 33 terminates at its front end in spaced relation to the front wall 20, and the sleeve 37 is of such internal diameter that it engages the pin 33 with a relatively snug but freely slidable fit. The front end portion 38 of the sleeve 37 projects forwardly through the front wall 26 of the chamber 21 and a handle 39 is secured thereto by a suitable pin or rivet 40 forwardly of the front wall 20, FIGS. 2 and 4. The rear end portion 39 of the sleeve 37 terminates in forwardly spaced relation to the rear wall 6 of the housing 2 in all positions of the sleeve 37 in the chamber 21.

The ejector member 31 includes an elongated somewhat L-shaped arm 62 having an elongated body member 63 and a pusher member 64 disposed substantially perpendicularly to each other. The pusher member 64 is substantially T-s-haped, FIGS. 3 and 6, having a head portion 65 and an elongated shank portion 66 disposed perpendicularly to each other. The shank portion 66 is arcuate shaped in transverse cross-section, FIG. 9, and is secured to the lower face 67 of one end portion 63 of the body member 33 by two rivets 69, FIGS. 3 and 9, which are firmly secured to the body member 63 but are secured to the shank 66 with a relatively loose sloppy fit. The shank 66 is so disposed on the body member 63 that the convex side of the shank 66 engages the face 67 so that the head 65 is free to tilt to a limited extent relative to the body member 33.

Two ears 41a and 41 are struck downwardly from the other end portion 42 of the body member 33, on the opposite lateral sides thereof, and in parallel spaced relation to each other, FIGS. 3 and 4. The sleeve 37 is mounted in and extends through openings 43 and 44 in the ears 41a and 41, respectively, with a relatively snug but freely slidable fit. A bracket member 45 having a substantially vertically disposed flat body portion 46 and two forwardly projecting ears 47 and 48, FIGS. 4 and 10, is mounted on the rear end portion of the sleeve 37 and may be secured thereto, such as, for example, with a force fit or by welding, the rear end portion 39 of the sleeve 37 being mounted in the body portion 46 of the bracket member 45.

The end portion 42 of the body member 68 of the ejector member 31 is mounted on the sleeve 37 forwardly of the bracket member 45, and a compression coil spring 49 is mounted on the sleeve 37 between the ear 41a and the front wall 20 in position to urge the ejector member 31 rearwardly against the body portion 46 of the bracket member 45. Another coil spring 50 is mounted on the rear end portion of the pin 33 between the bracket member 45 and the rear wall 6, FIGS. 3 and 4, and affords a yielding stop member for the ejector member 31 and the sleeve 37 when the latter are disposed in their normal rearwardmost position as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The pin 33 is releasably secured in the rear wall 6 by suitable means, such as, for example, snap washers 51 and52, FIG. 4, to thereby hold the pin 33 against longitudinal movement in the chamber 21. The handle 39 on the sleeve 37 is disposed in such position thereon that when the ejector member 31 and the sleeve 37 are disposed in the aforementioned normal rearwardmost position in the chamber 21, the handle 39 is disposed in abutting engagement with the front wall 20 to thereby limit the rearward movement of the ejector member 31 and the sleeve 37.

It will be seen that with this construction, if it is desired to move the ejector member 31 forwardly in the housing 2 from the rearwardmost position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, this may be readily accomplished by manually pulling forwardly on the handle 39 to thereby slide the sleeve 37 and the ejector member 31 forwardly along the pin 33. If, after the ejector member 31 and the sleeve 37 have thus been moved forwardly, the handle 39 is released, the spring 49 is effective to return them to the aforementioned normal position, the spring 50 being effective to yieldingly stop such rearward movement and position said ejector member 31 and sleeve 37 in normal position. The ears 47 and 48 and the bracket member 45 are disposed in such position that they en gage the partition wall 19 and the end wall 9, respectively, during such movement of the sleeve 37 to thereby afford lateral support for the supporting member 32 during such manipulation of the ejector member 31.

Three rollers 53, 54 and 55 are mounted on a pin 56 which is rotatably mounted in two ears 57 and 58 projecting forwardly from the head 65 of the pusher member 64, between the rollers 53 and 54 and the rollers 54 and 55, respectively, FIG. 3. The opening 59 through which the pin 56 projects in each of the ears 57 and 53 is in the form of a forwardly and rearwardly projecting elongated slot, FIGS. 7 and 8. The ears 57 and 58 are so disposed on the head 65, and the slots 59 are of such length that when the pin 56 is disposed in forwardmost position in the slots 59, the rollers 5355 are disposed forwardly of the front edge 66 of the head 35, as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 7, but when the pin 56 is disposed in rearwardmost position in the slot 59, the rollers 53-55 are disposed in engagement with the front edge 66 of the head 65, as shown in FIG. 8 and in broken lines in FIG. 3. The rollers 53-55 each have a plurality of elongated teeth or projections 61 projecting outwardly from the periphery thereof throughout the length thereof. The teeth 61 are so spaced on the rollers 53-55 as to be effective to firmly latcbingly engage the front edge 60 of the head 65 when the rollers are disposed in engagement therewith, to thereby efiectively hold the rollers 53-55 from rotation relative to the head 65, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

The relatively snug, but freely slidable fit of the ejector member 31 on the sleeve 37 affords a pivotal connection between the ejector member 31 and the sleeve 37 which permits. the ejector member 31 to be raised and lowered around the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 37 between a lowered position, such as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 5, and a raised position, such as shown in broken lines in FIG. 5.. When the ejector member 31 is disposed in raised position, it is disposed in upstanding, somewhat outwardly projecting relation to the base 3 so that it is moved entirely out of covering relation to the storage area in the housing 2. When the ejector member 31 is disposed in lower position, as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 5, it is disposed in overlying relation to the storage area in the housing 2, the weight of the ejector member 31 being effective to hold the free end portion thereof downwardly in position wherein the rollers 53--55 rest on the upwardly facing surfaces in the storage area inthe housing 2, whether that surface be the upper face of the top sheet of a stack of sheets, such as, for example, the sheets 29 shown in FIGS, 5 and 6, or the upper face of the bottom wall 5 of the housing 2, if there are no sheets present in the storage area.

In the operation of the ejector mechanism 30, when sheets, such as sheets 29, are disposed in the storage area inthe housing 2, FIGS. 5 and 6, and it is desiredio eject a sheet from the stack of sheets, this may be readily accomplished by manually pulling outwardy on the ban-- die 39 to thereby move the ejector member 31 from the.

position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 to the position shown in broken lines therein. During the initial movement of the ejector member 31, the rollers5355, which are disposed in frictional engagement with the top sheet of the stack, remain stationary and the front edge 60 of the head 65 moves forwardly into engagement with the teeth 61 thereon, thus latching the rollers 5355 against rotation. Hence, during the rema nder of the forward movement of the ejector member 31, the rollers 5355 are disposed in good frictional engagement with the top sheet, this frictional engagement being suflicient to overcome the frictional engagement of that sheet with the next underlying sheet and with the gripping members 28 and 23 or 22 and 23 engaged with the ends of the stack of sheets. This forward movement of the ejector member 31 is thereby effective to move the top sheet 29 forwardly through the slot 17 and thus outwardly from the housing 2. When the sheet to be dispensed has thus been projected outwardly from the housing 2, the outwardly projecting portion thereof may be manually gripped and the removal of the sheet from the housing 2 manually completed. Such additional forward movement of the sheet being dispensed is effective to move the rollers 5355 forwardly away from the front edge 60 of the head 65 to thereby free the rollers 5355 for rotation and permit ready movement of the sheet therepast. However, even if the aforementioned outwardly projecting portion of the ejected sheet is not gripped by the operator, prior to the release of the handle 39, the ejector member 31 in its inner or rearward movement effected by the action of the spring 49 is ineffective to move the sheet back into the housing 2, the initial portion of such rearward movement of the ejector member 31 being effective to move the front edge 60 of the head 65 rearwardly out of engagement with the rollers 53-55 to thereby free the rollers 53-55 for rotation so that during the remainder of the rearward movement of the ejector member 31, they may roll over the surface of the sheet which has been projected outwardly from the housing 2. Hence, it will be seen that although the rollers 53-55 are highly effective to push a sheet to be ejected forwardly through the slot 17 during forward movement of the ejector member 31, they are ineffective to hold such a forwardly projected sheet against manual completion of the with drawal thereof from the housing 2 or to move the thus forwardly projected sheet rearwardly into the housing 2 during rearward movement of the ejector member 31, the rollers 5355 being freed from abutting engagement with the front edge 60 of the head 65 under either of these two last mentioned conditions to thereby permit the rollers 5355 to rotate freely.

The loose mounting of the pusher member 64 on the body member 63 of the ejector member 31 permits lateral rocking of the pusher member 64 to thereby permit compensation for any irregularities in the surface encountered by the rollers 5355 during an ejecting cycle of operation.

Also, in the use of the novel dispenser 1, a stack of sheets to be stored therein and dispensed therefrom may be quickly and easily inserted into or removed from the housing 2 by raising the cover 4 to open position, as shown in FIG. 3, and swinging the ejector member 31 into raised position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 5, to thereby fully open the storage area in the base 3, after which the sheets to be inserted or removed may be readily inserted or removed through the open top of the storage area.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have afforded a novel dispenser which is particularly well adapted for storing and dispensing sheets of light-sensitive paper, and the like.

Also, it will be seen that I have afforded a novel dispenser which affords a novel, compact, carrying case in which a stack of sheets of light-sensitive paper, or the like, may be readily transported while effectively protecting them from exposure to light.

In addition, it will be seen that I have afforded a novel and practical ejector mechanism for such a dispenser.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel dispenser, and novel ejector mechanism which are practical and efiicient in operation and may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise detail set forth but desire to avail myself to such changes and alterations as fall in the purview of the following claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An ejector for use in a dispenser housing for feeding a plurality of sheets of material one at a time outwardly from said housing from the top of a stack of such sheets disposed in stored position in a storage area in said housing, said ejector comprising an elongated sleeve, supporting means operatively engaged with said sleeve for supporting the latter for longitudinal reciprocation through apredetermined path of travel in such a housing, said supporting means including an elongated pin extending longitudinally into said sleeve in supporting relation thereto, said sleeve being rotatable on said pin, an arm, pusher means mounted on and carried by said arm, said arm being mounted on said sleeve and rotatable therewith in position to normally dispose said pusher means in engagement with the top sheet of such a stack in said housing when said sleeve is so supported in said housing, said arm being movable with said sleeve between a normal position and an actuated position when said sleeve is so reciprocated, said pusher means being rotatable relative to said arm during movement of said arm from said actuated position to said normal position, said pusher means being slidable relative to said arm into abutting engagement with said arm to thereby hold said pusher means against rotation during movement of said arm from said normal position to said actuated position, and means for so reciprocating said sleeve.

2. In a dispenser for sheets of paper, and the like, said dispenser including a housing having a storage area for a stack of such sheets defined between a front wall, a rear wall, and two end walls, and in which said front wall has an elongated slot therethrough and extending longitudinally therealong to afford a discharge opening through which said sheets may be ejected outwardly from said storage area, the combination comprising an elongated pin mounted in said rear wall and projecting toward said front wall, an elongated sleeve extending through said front wall and slidably mounted on said pin for reciprocation through said front wall and longitudinally of said pin between a normal and an actuated position, an arm rotatably mounted on said sleeve for rotation around the longitudinal axis thereof between a substantially upright raised position and a lowered position, a roller mounted on and carried by said arm in position to engage said top sheet of such a stack in said storage area, the axis of said roller being in substantially parallel relation to said front wall when said arm is disposed in said lowered position, said arm being reciprocable with said sleeve toward and away from said front wall during said reciprocation of said sleeve to thereby move said roller toward and away from said front wall, said roller having projections on the outer periphery thereof and being movable toward and away from said arm into and out of position to dispose said arm in engagement with said projections, said projections being disposed out of engagement with said arm to thereby free said roller for rotation relative to said arm during said movement of said roller away from said front wall in engagement with said stack, said projections being disposed in engagement with said arm to thereby hold said roller against rotation relative to said arm during said movement of said roller toward said front wall in engagement with said stack, and means on said sleeve for reciprocating the latter longitudinally of said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 356,784 Pritchard Feb. 1, 1887 1,078,291 Kane et al Nov. 11, 1913 2,290,006 Trollen July 14, 1942 2,299,940 Thomasma Oct. 27, 1942 2,702,145 Paulas Feb. 15, 1955 2,870,939 Etes et a1. Jan. 27, 1959 2,904,214 Miller Sept. 15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 978,387 France Apr. 12, 1951 1,073,763 France Sept. 29, 1954

Images