US2668649A - Apparatus for ejecting containers and filling popcorn thereinto - Google Patents

Description

W. E. CLARK ET AL APPARATUS FOR EJECTING CONTAINERS AND FILLING POPCORN THEREINTO Feb. 9, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1950 14541.13 E CZARK, db/0v BEALL,

NVENTORS.

1954 w. E. CLARK ET AL APPARATUS FOR EJECTING CONTAINERS AND FILLING POPCORN THEREINTO '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1950 Cao 5f CZAEK, dbHNVE INVENTORS. wwflfi MAL/6 6 854.41.,

W. E. CLARK ET AL APPARATUS FOR EJECTING CONTAINERS AND FILLING POPCORN THEREINTO Feb. 9, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 4, 1950 n w A INVENTORS.

14 7- TOE/V5).

4 74 71.; 5,. CLARK,

dc 9H w. E. CLARK ET AL 2,668,6 9 APPARATUS FOR EJECTING CONTAINERS AND FILLING POPCORN THEREINTO Filed March 4, 1950 4 Sheets-$heet 4 Feb 9, 1954 IViLL/S E: CLARK,

N BE'ALL INVENTOR Patented Feb. 9, 1954 :-APPARATUS FOR. EJECTING CONTAINERS AND FILLING POPCORN- THEREINTO I Willis ErClark and John El Ball, i IiosrAngeles', Calif.

Aliplic atiofi Mafch4, 1950, SriaTNo. 147,671

13 Claims.

This "inventionrela'tes. generally to improved dispensers :and particularly to apparatus If or successively dispensing measured quantities of "popcornfinto sfiitable containers. In certain f" its aspects,'the invention'may be considered animpro'vement'on the apparatus disclosed in application Serial.Number 46,597; filed August V 28, "i9'48y-byIEarnestE:*Martin. The present applicationis"also closely related to our copending application Serial" 'Number 147,672, and shows ce'rtain'features "of dispenser construction which aremore;specifically described and"claimed in that application.

A'm'ajor obiectof'the presentinvention is to -provide a coin actuated dispensing machine'operable torapidly'and effectively deliver a quantity 'of cornfrom astoragechamheror hopper into a collectionichamb'er rand theninto a mechanically ejected positioned box or other container. 'Dispensers'embodying the'inventi'on are particularly adapted for completely automatic operation'fin which insertion "of a coin acts to initiate a series .of;operations culminating, without further action bytheoperator, inthe delivery of a filledcontainerto a receiving location. .Aswill appear, such'rapid and automatic delivery is effected by a unique control arrangement and automatictimingsequence, which is considered an important feature of the invention.

.i A flirtherl feature of the. invention is to provide dispensingapparatus adapted to'ra'pidly and preferably automatically deliver a filled containerof corn in'the above manner, and in which the corn. istransferred between thestorage' chamher and collection chamber-by 'air entrainment past a transparent window within the sight 'ofan ioperator, tofthusJattain anieye catchingeffect similar to. that contemplated in the above Martin application.

I'Eurther; features. of the invention involve a preferred form of container ejecting mechanism .operableito automatically feed. a single container from a supply. of containers to a corndelivery locationuponeach operation of the, machine. As in'Tthe malchine. .as a. whole, this. container 'ej ectipgmechanisrnhas been especially designed for ektremerap'idity of ,oper'ationvwhile at the same -time/.-a ss u1:ing;theiefiective and positive handling bf successive containers.

accordance with'ithe' invention, the .appae .r'atusisoperable .uponvreception Jofv a coin to tcansfer. cornlfrom. a storage chamber .to. a col- .lect,io,n charnherandto feed asingle box or-other econner to. aledelivery.location-,..af ter which the chamber'into the 'box. ZThe transfer-of cornrmay 'beitimeol'to continueior a; predetermined "period suficientto fill or 'overfill'theicollection chamber and .to then automatically cease. -Furtherjthe 'dispensing of. the "cornfrom the collection chamber into a box may be eiiect'ed' automatically and in timed relation withthe'corn transfer'and box 'ejectionoperations toattain completely-automatic 'corn'"may"be transferred and 'theibox I ejected simultaneously, to be followed by "automatic dispensing of the transierredcornintothe'box.

J 'The fcontainer" ejector acts first; 'up0n""each joperation'of theidispenser, to'move a'sin'gle conr tainer outwardly from, a: nested'positiomwit'hin aist'ack offl'c'ontainers; after which 'it "laterally ejects;the"fcontainerintoi a holder "at -the corn delivery location. Thislateral ejection maybe accomplished with maximum facility :andin "an extremely short intervaliof timetbyimeansbf' a resilient spring: or "the like; which may be resiliently deformed *or'iconditioned for ej ection' by 'theinitial'outward movementiof acontain'erfrom its nested position. We have'also providedmea'ns for "preventing the delivery of. more "thanrone .con'tainerupon a""'singleoperation, as "wellfas "meansior advancing'thesupply orista'ck of containers a predetermined distance upon e'ach'actu- .atlon toisuccess'ivelyv advance the'iindividual containers into? position "for ej ection.

,Thefa'bove and runner featuresand objects of 'the'ipresent' invention will be' better: understood from the following detailed description ofthe typical embodiment "illustrated? inf'f the. accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig 1 is afro'ntlview of apresently preferred form of popcorn dispenser; withthe fro'ntwall partly broken-j.away toreveal certain of' the interior mechanism;

."eliig 2 isia central vertical sectionthrorigh the, dispenseretaken online 2-.-2 ofEig. '1;

. Eig. 3.,is. an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the box .Iejecting mechanism;

jEE'ig; lis aidetailed. perspective. view iofthe 'elevator'l driving ratchet mechanism;

"'Eig', Seisanemarg'ed fragmentary view of the elevator driving ratchet taken on line -5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a preferred form of popcorn box especially designed for use with the present dispensing apparatus;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side view of the lower portion of the box ejecting mechanism in its normal condition;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. '7 but showing the apparatus during its box ejecting movement;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of an upper portion of the box ejecting mechanism and showing especially the means for actuating the stops for preventing upward movement of more than one box during an ejecting operation;

Fig. 10 is a view corresponding to Fig. 9 and showing the stops in their released positions for permitting elevation of the supply of boxes;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the upper portion of the box ejecting mechanism in its normal condition;

Fig. 12 is a view corresponding to Fig. 11 and showing the ejecting apparatus at the moment when an upper box has been elevated from its nested position within the stack of boxes and is being laterally ejected to a corn delivery location.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the box stack elevating mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a transverse section taken on line l4|4 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatical representation of the electrical control circuit of the dispenser.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the present popcorn dispenser comprises essentially a housing I0 having an upper transparent dome ll,

and containing a popcorn storage chamber 12, a

collection chamber [3, a blower l4 for creating an upward flow of air to transfer popcorn from the storage chamber ast transparent dome II and into the measuring chamber, box ejecting mechanism l5 for individually feeding cartons into a supporting cage l6 beneath the collection chamber, a valve or sliding plate I! for dispensing the corn from the measuring chamber into an ejected box, and a coin responsive control l8.

Housing I0 is essentially rectangular in shape, and carries at its front a door l9 hinged along one side at 2B and adapted to be locked in closed condition as by suitable key controlled locks 2!. Door i9 contains a delivery opening 22 through which an operator may remove a filled box of corn from cage it after a coin has been inserted into mechanism [8 and the apparatus has completed a delivery cycle. Opening 22 is normally closed by plastic door 23 which is suitably guided for downward sliding movement to an open condition in which the filled box of corn may be removed. A bracket 2% extends downwardly from the lower edge of door 23 and is attached at its lower end to cord 25, which extends upwardly about a pulley 26 and then downwardly to carry 7 vertical extent.

mitted by the escape of air from cylinder 28 through restricted opening 29.

At the sides of cage [6, the mainhousing door l9 carries a pair of vertical walls 38, forming with the forward wall 3| of the main portion of the housing a closed-wall delivery recess at the rear of door 23. Grating 32 forms the bottom of this recess and permits downward passage of any spilled corn through tapering chute 33 into a removable waste container 34 carried by the door.

At the bottom of the housing, a relatively small compartment 35 contains a pair of timers TI and T2 for controlling the operation of the dispenser. Coin control [3, which may be of any known type, is mounted to the door, and comprises an upper coin receiving slot 38, a suitable slug rejector 39, a coin return button 40 and opening I48, and a coin actuated micro-switch 41 whose momentary closing upon reception of a coin acts to initate the sequence of operations which delivers a filled box of corn into cage I6.

The top of the housing is closed by a cover 2l9 hinged to the rear of the housing at 220. The transparent elongated dome ll extends between the front and rear edges of this cover at a central location. The front portion of the cover may be adapted to contain display popcorn at either side of dome H, as at 22! in Fig. 1.

Storage chamber l2 extends vertically along the rear of the housing, and is essentially rectangular in horizontal section along most of its The lower end of the storage chamber tapers at 42 to a reduced opening 43 containing screen 44 through which blower I4 directs an upwardly moving stream. of air. The blower, which is driven by an electric motor 65, communicates with the bottom of the storage chamber through an angularly extending air inlet line .6. Electrical heaters 41, extending along the downwardly converging portion of the storage chamber, heat that com in the bottom of the storage chamber which will next be dispensed, and also heat the boxes which are to receive the dispensed corn. Vertically extending tube 48 is mounted within the storage chamber at a location spaced from the bottom of the chamber and acts to direct the stream of air from blower I4 upwardly within the chamber and toward transparent dome II. By virtue of the spaced relation of the bottom of tube 48 with the bottom of the storage chamber, corn falls downwardly within the chamber beneath tube it to be entrained and carried upwardly within the tube by the stream of air from the blower. At the upper end of tube 48, the housing carries a forwardly curving deflecting plate 49 adapted to direct the upward stream of air and entrained corn forwardly along the inside of transparent dome I I to be viewed by an operator of the machine and to then fall downwardly into measuring chamber i 3.

Measuring or collection chamber I3 extends vertically above box holding cage l6 and is adapted to contain only a pre-determined quantity of corn sufiicient to fill a single box and to overflow downwardly into the storage chamber any corn received in excess of that pre-determined quantity. To facilitate such overflow of the corn, an inclined plate 5! extends about the upper end of the measuring chamber to direct the excess corn downwardly into the storage chamber. The collection chamber is normally closed at its bottom by a suitable sliding plate or valve l1 adapted to be automatically opened by solenoid 53, which is mechanically connected to to member 59. Each swinging movement of arm I04 is transmitted to the movable jaw through a rod or wire I06, whose downward jaw closing movement is limited at the over center position of Fig. 11 by a suitable stop I01. As will be understood, movement of the jaw actuating mechanism to this over center position acts to lock the jaw in its closed position and assure tight retention of the upper edge of the box during the upward movement of the box to its Fig. 12 position. The jaws are normally in the closed condition of Fig. 11, so that energization of the drive motor 62 immediately starts the elevation of the upper box to the ejection position of Fig. 12. Upon arrival at this upper position, arm I94 engages the upper cross piece I08 of inverted U- shaped member I09, which extends upwardly from angles II! on guide 56, and such engagement with cross piece I08 acts to prevent further upward movement of the engaged portion of arm I04 to thereby swing arm I04 to its jaw opening position as member 59 continues upwardly a short distance to the broken line position of Fig. 12. The jaws are thus opened, and springs 60 are free to laterally eject the box to its delivery location.

After such ejection of a box, motor 62 continues to rotate and consequently moves member 59 downwardly to its original position. Upon arrival at its lowest position, jaw I03 is automatically closed to tightly grip the upper edge of the next successive box in preparation for the next operation of the machine. For this purpose, an actuating rod H is guided by blocks 94 and 95 for vertical movement alongside the vertically extending portion of member 59, and has at its upper end a short horizontal portion I I I engageable with the underside of arm I04 to swing that arm to its jaw closing position. At its lower end, rod H0 is pivotally connected at II2 to a lever element II3, which is pivoted to the stationary guide 56 at I I4 and which carries at its inner end an upwardly extending adjustable screw H5 engageable with an operating ear I I6 on lever arm 96. Upon movement of member 59 and arm 96 downwardly to their normal lowest positions, ear II6 on arm 96 engages screw H5 to pivot lever element II3 about its fulcrum point H4 and in turn elevate rod H0 in a manner actuating arm I94 to its over center jaw closing position.

The two box ejecting leaf springs 69 are rigidly mounted at their lower ends to angles II'I through screws I I8, and normally tend to return to the upwardly and inwardly curving positions of Fig. 11. At its upper end, each spring forms a hook portion II9 which limits upward movement of the box in the Fig. 12 ejection position. As a box is moved upwardly between the position of Fig. 11 and the ejection position of Fig. 12, it resiliently deflects springs 60 to the full line position of Fig. 12. Upon automatic release of the jaws, springs 60 then tend to return to their normal position of Fig. 11 (shown in broken lines in Fig. 12) to laterally and forcefully eject the box into delivery cage I6.

To prevent upward movement of more than one box with member 59, we provide a pair of stops 6| engageable with the top edges of the second box in a stack and preventing its upward movement. These stops are normally in their inner active positions of Fig. 9, and are automatically moved outwardly to their inactive positions of Fig. during upward movement of the elevator, to permit upwardadvancement of the entire stack of boxes at that time. Each stop 6| is carried by a wirelike body I2I which extends first downwardly and then horizontally, and is mounted for swinging movement about the axis of its horizontally extending portion by a bearing I20 attached to guide 56. At the side of guide 56, stop carrying body I2I forms a crank throw IZI, which is connected through link I24 to an actuating arm I22 pivoted at I23 to the stationary box guide. A stop I25 limits the swinging movement of each crank throw I 2I to determine the inner box engaging position of the corresponding movable stop 6I. The two actuating arms I22 are normally urged together by an interconnecting spring I26 to retain the two movable stops 6| in their inner positions. Upon upward movement of member 59, a lug I21 carried by the depending portion 93 of that member engages the inner surface of arms I22 to simultaneously actuate those arms in a manner releasing stops 6|. While these stops are released, the elevator is automatically moved upwardly by the previously described cam controlled mechanism to move the next successive box into position for lateral ejection.

Referring now to Fig. 15, current is supplied to the apparatus through a pair of supply lines I28 and I29, which lead to heaters 41 through line I30, thermostatic controls I3I and line I32. Line I28 connects with each of the control timers TI and T2, and line I29 leads to these timers through a coin control switch I34 and a holding coil I35, which is operable to close a circuit about switch I34 by actuation of switch I36. The box ejector motor 62 and the pump motor 45 are connected in parallel through lines 234 to timer TI, which energizes these motors for a predetermined timed period after initial closing of the circuit by coin controlled actuation of microswitch I34. Timer T2, which is preferably of known electronic type, acts to automatically energize corn dispensing solenoid 53 through lines 235 after TI has de-energized the blower and box ejector, and retains the solenoid in its dispensing valve actuating position for a predetermined period suificient to completely dispense the contents of the measuring chamber before permitting it to again close.

Inusing the illustrated dispensing machine, popped corn is first placed in storage chamber I2, and a stack of nested boxes of the type shown in Fig. 6- are placed on elevator 58 between vertical stationary guides 56 and 51 of the box ejecting mechanism. Downward movement of the elevator, during such insertion of the boxes, is permitted by releasing latch 12 through inward movement of button 80, as previously described. Electrical supply lines I28 and I29 are then connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, typically a volt alternating current supply.

An operator inserts a coin into slot 38, and the coin in passing downwardly within the coin control mechanism momentarily actuates microswitch I34 to close the circuits to both timers TI and T2. Such momentary closing of this circuit also energizes holding coil I35 to close switch I36 and maintain the electrical supply circuit closed even after the opening of microswitch I34. Immediately upon the closing of the coin controlled circuit, timer TI simultaneously energizes box ejecting motor '62 and blower motor '45. The blower then creates an upward flow of air entraining a quantity of corn from the storage chamber, through tube 48, against deflecting plate 49, along the inside of transparent dome I I within the sight of an 9' operator; and downwardly into measuring cham ioer I 3*! Any excess corntransferred by thissti'eam-'-of 'ai-r overfldWeflownWardly --into* thestorage; chamber.--* The-period of actuation of the-blower is predetermined and: of suffuzient 5 length to *overfiii the measuring-chamber," thus assuring the delivery of'a -fu11' measurecf corn to the operator.

The circuit to 'motor' 8 2 'of' -'-the' -box-' ejecting mechanism -'is "closed for a period siifliient -to rotate'* the motor driven sha'ftthrough exactly one rev01uti'on',"to threbYeject a single box into' cage- I65 Reviewingbriefly the-manner of op eration of 'thebox 'ej ecti'ng' mechanism, jaws l 02= and "103" are 'normally =c1o'se'd *about ='-the upper edge of the top box -in-the stack? and Stops -6 l normal-13'?- preventupwardmovement I ofthe sec 0nd box in thestacku Asmotor-BI then-rotates from 'thenormal posit-iorr of Fig; 7, arm fliis swung-upwardlyby crank 'arm'QB and connecting arm- '-9 9* to move member 59 upwardly and carry the top-box in the-stack-to the position of'-Fi"g. 12. U'p'on arrival'at the" position of Fig; 12g'arm' 'l (W is-swung downwardly- =reiative --to member I 59 by engagementwith -cross-pie'ce I 08- of member" I 09' to release the-box from the-grippingja'ws. Mem ber'-5& then-continuesits upwardmovement-andthebox is laterally-deflected into" cage I I6 by the tensionof -lea-f springs 60. Cont-in-uedoperatiorr'of the motor-swings arm-"96' downwardly to move membertaback'to itspositionof Fig. 11 thejaWsebeing-tightly closed about the next successive upper box by upward -movement ofrod i ['11- uponarrival 'ofmembe'r 59 at'its lower"--= most posit-ion While member'- Sfiisinthe-upper part of its" travel, lstops 61"- are outwardly defiected- 10y en-- gagement' of' Iug 121* with the inner I surfaces of lever "arms-1221 During the'period that thesestops-are thus -'outward1y*'defiectedy ca'm 8 I acts to pivot lever element 82 about its fulcrum point 881' to iower ratchet-element 12 a distance" sufl'i' cient'tofadvancei chains "68 the- 'iehgth of-"oneo'fthan-links: Suchmovementofthe 1 chains raises"the' reievator a "predetermined distance corresponding tovthe distance between'thelipp'en edgesmf: successive" boxes" in the stack; as -determined by thepositiohin'g ofboxiu'gs 90": Such upward movement "of" the elevator; advances the". nextsucce'ssrVe box to; the position of; the" top boxi'n Fig'z ll in preparation for its ejection on thenextoperatioir ofthe'machihe: As"member 59*retu'rns ..to itsf'lower position; 1112121. moves away, from. its. engagement with. arms l22"toi permitr'eturn of stops' 6! back to their'active positions.

Tiifier. iTfiautomaticallyf,rdeenergizes, motor 62'. and motor after the former has ,r0ta'ted shaft lfifthrioug'hflone com lete revolution and after ,the. latter. has, transferred, enough? corn to; ioverfill jririeasuring.v chamber-x 131 'IiriierMTZi then energizes; solenoid; 53: to. release; the; measured jcorn from chamber |3l;ldownwar-d1y1,into' the..box. whichhas beenr ejected intov cag'e..l6. TIf operator mayithn open plastic; door. 23.. to; remove the filIe'd-box .of corn...

We. :claiim.

1. ,A .pqpcorn .dis'penser, comprising a storage chamber lforficontainin'g, popcorn to be dispensed a ..co11ction Mcha'rhbn. means: for. transferring corn from the storage, chamber into? the, collcr tioachamber, means....for holding ;'a supply of containers, means foi'ie'edingaa container from saidis'upplyihdldeii tola delivery location, common coin responsive control means controlling said com transferrin-"gmeans and 'aidcontainer-med ing means-and operable"- to rendei-=theii1 effective to transfer a quantity of corn to th collection chamber and tweed-a container to the delivery location; and -iii's 'oehsing means for-discharging: the l corn from said colleetioh chambr and"- .p'o sitiohe'd to-"ie'iiver the' corn into' the/container: at said deliver-y looatio ollection ichamb'err and-"tiispensing mean s bein :construc'ted totirefa. ta-i-ntiie transferredecorn againsti'dischargerfrorm the-collection: chamber duringv theutransferxof; com ther'etov 25 A popcorn dispensers; comprisingu'a storage: chamber for containing: popcorn to be: dispeiised a collection 'chamber,means i011: transferring; corn from the-storage chamber? intoiithercolleee; tion chamber, means foi rhol'dingaza n'supply- .rof; coi'itaine rspi'nea'ns' for'ie'eding: a container; from: said-supply holder :to': a delivery. loc'atiomacoma-n momcoin' responsive control fi means" controlling? said corn transferring ineansand. said container; feeding meanaand bperableto render: themnefr-a fecti've -to transier a quantity: oiucornvtouthe; collection-chamber and to feed a containerctoz the deliverylocation; automaticiscontrol': means; operable to automaticallyedeenergizesthea acorn transferring means aiter: its-'1 energizatiomifor. "a period 'suflicienttoafill' thewcoil'ecti'on .chamber and dispensing means for discharging the? iconic from -said-colleetion "chamber: and: .pos'itioriednto;

deliver the --corn' i'nto athewcontainenatz'said: flat-s liverylocation said collection. rchamberiandzidisis peneing' means being cor-istruotedaztoixretain:th e: transferred corn against discharge from thzcolei letion 1 chamber du'rm'g theitransfen of corn thereto;

3. -A popcorn dispeiiser compnisiirgzsa ;storage:: chamber for containingfipopcorn tozbe: dis'pen'sed,: it collection chamber; means 101': zt'ransferri'rig: earn from the storage chamb e'r 'intoil the'. comm: tion chamber;' nceans vfor 'hoidinga .su'pply: of. containers; -mansii0r feeding-a container: from: s'a-id 'supply holder to -a delivery ".locati0n,:.;disi-:.;' pen-sing means for discharging corn'e fromrri coilectiori cham'ber and positioneduto deliventhez corn into a container: at 1 said; delivery location; coin responsive "control means: controlling asaid: corn transferringmeans and said icontaine feeding meansand.- operable to rend'eicwthem efi. fective to I transfer a quantity efcorn to the: collection chamberand to fe'ed a *container to:- the deliveryr -lo'o'ation' and autamatiwcofitrol: means operablo to automatically energize Said dispensing-meansitoixiiepense the corn from thei coHect-i'on chambei into the container after ener z' ization of aid. corn-transferring means foF-a period" s'ii-ificient' to transfera predetermined; charge 0t torn ito the collection: cliamber; said collctioii chamber: and dis'pensing means being constructe d to retain the *tran'sferredcorn' againstdifiichai ge from the *CUllCfiGh chamber "diii iifg thtrans'fe'r of -corn thereto.

4. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for: containingpopcorn to' b'e'oispensed, a "collection "chamber; means for transferring corn fioihth' storage chamber- -into' the" c'oll'c tion chamber; means forflhdldiiig a -'s1ipp1y'=;ofcontainers;-"means for" feeding a container -rrrsm-- said sup ly ho1der-to* a delivery location; coin responsive control means" "operable to energize said-com transferringanea'ns amend-container feeding mea-risfi in '-timed relation to transfer e, quantityof com-"to the collection chamber-and to, feed a containerto thedeliverylocationgdie pensin'g means'**for dischargingthe com"from"-" said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location, and timer means operable to deenergize said corn transferring and container feeding means and to actuate said dispensing means after a predetermined interval from the energization of said corn transfer and container feeding means, said collection chamber and dispensing means being constructed to retain the transferred corn against discharge from the collection chamber during transfer of corn thereto.

5. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, a collection chamber, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, common coin responsive control means controlling said flow creating means and operable to render them effective and said container feeding means to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, and dispensing means for discharging the corn from said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location, said collection chamber and dispensing means being constructed to retain the transferred corn against discharge from the collection chamber during the transfer of corn thereto.

6. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, a collection chamber, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, common coin responsive control means controlling said flow creating means and said container feeding means and operable to render them eifective to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, said control means including timer means operable to automatically interrupt said transfer of corn after it has continued for a period sufficient to fill the collection chamber, and dispensing means for discharging the corn from said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location, said timer means being operable to automatically actuate said dispensing means upon said interruption of the corn transfer, said collection chamber and dispensing means being constructed to retain the transferred corn against discharge from the collection chamber during the transfer of corn thereto.

'7. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed. a collection chamber, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, means for dispensing corn from the collection chamber into a container at said delivery location, and coin responsive control means operable to first energize said flow creating means and said container to dispense the corn from the collection cham-- ber into the container.

8. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, a collection chamber, means for creating a fiow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby. into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, means for dispensing corn from the collection chamber into a container at said delivery location, and coin responsive control means operable to first energize said flow creating means and said container feeding means to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, said control means being operable to automatically de-energize the flow creating means after its energization for a period sufficient to fill the collection chamber, and being operable then to automatically energize said dispensing means to dispense the corn from the collection chamber into the container.

9. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, an overflow collection chamber adapted to contain a given quantity of corn and to overflow downwardly any corn received in excess of said quantity, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, coin responsive control means operable to energize said flow creating means and said container feeding means to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, said control means including a timer operable to automatically de-energize the fiow creating means after its energization for a period sulficient to overfill the collection chamber, and dispensing means for discharging the corn from said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location.

10. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, an overflow collection chamber adapted to contain a given quantity of corn and to overflow downwardly any corn received in excess of said quantity, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, means for dispensing corn from the collection chamber into a container at said delivery location, and coin responsive control means operable to energize said flow creating means and said container feeding means to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container tothe delivery location, said control means including a timer means operable to automatically de-energize the flow creating means after its energization for a period sufiicient to overfill the collection chamber, and operable then to automatically energize said dispensing means to dispense the corn from the collection chamber.

11. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, a collection chamber, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for holding a single container at a delivery location, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to said last mentioned means, common coin responsive control means controlling said flow creating means and operable to render them effective and said container feeding means to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, dispensing means for discharging the corn from said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location, and control means including a timer operable to automatically actuate said dispensing means after energization of said flow creating means for a period sufiicient to transfer a predetermined charge of corn to said collection chamber, said collection chamber and dispensing means being constructed to retain the transferred corn against discharge from the collection chamber during the transfer of corn thereto.

12. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, a collection chamber, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, coin responsive control means operable to energize said flow creating means and said container feeding means in timed relation to transfer a quantity of corn to the collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, dispensing means for discharging the corn from said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location,

and timer means operable to deenergize said flow creating and container delivering means after their energization for a predetermined period, and operable to then actuate said dispensing means in timed relation to said flow creating means and container feeding means, said collection chamber and dispensing means being constructed to retain the transferred corn against discharge from the collection chamber during transfer of corn thereto.

13. A popcorn dispenser comprising a storage chamber for containing popcorn to be dispensed, a collection chamber, means for creating a flow of air from said storage chamber toward the collection chamber, means for entraining corn from the storage chamber in said flow of air to be transferred thereby into the collection chamber, means for holding a supply of containers, means for feeding a container from said supply holder to a delivery location, coin responsive control means operable to energize said flow creating means and said container feeding means simultaneously to transfer a quantity of corn to collection chamber and to feed a container to the delivery location, and means for dispensing the corn from said collection chamber and positioned to deliver the corn into the container at said delivery location, means for actuating said dispensing valve, and timer means operable to automatically de-energize the flow creating means after its energization for a period sufficient to transfer a predetermined charge of corn to the collection chamber, said timer means being automatically operable after said de-energization of the flow creating means to energize said valve actuating means to discharge said corn, said collection chamber and valve being constructed to retain the transferred corn against discharge from the collection chamber during transfer of corn thereto.

WILLIS E. CLARK. JOHN E. BEALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 310,905 Milbank Jan. 20, 1885 1,035,348 Jannell Aug. 13, 1912 2,051,344 Parks et a1. Aug. 18, 1936 2,258,548 Doutrich Oct. '7, 1941 2,286,165 Balton June 9, 1942 2,413,446 Glassner Dec. 31, 1946

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