GB2190655A

GB2190655A - Nut dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2190655A
Application number: GB08609511A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen William Clarke
Original assignee: HURST GREEN PLASTICS Ltd
Current assignee: HURST GREEN PLASTICS Ltd
Priority date: 1986-04-18
Filing date: 1986-04-18
Publication date: 1987-11-25
Also published as: GB2190655B; GB8609511D0

Abstract

A nut dispensing device has a storage hopper with a dispensing portion situated underneath. The dispensing portion is in the form of a rotatable drum (16) which is divided into a plurality of sectors by means of radial spokes (18). A levelling device (46) having two rubber pieces (52) is arranged above the drum, and the drum is rotatable by turning a hand gear (34, 36) which meshes with a ring gear (24) on a peripheral flange (22) of the drum. The nuts fall through an aperture in the base (56) of the hopper into that portion of the drum beneath the aperture. As the drum is rotated, the nuts in each sector are levelled off approximately to the level of the rubber portions (52) thus providing an approximate amount of nuts in each sector. As the drum is further rotated, the nuts in each sector are dispensed through a dispensing aperture (30) in the base of the dispensing portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispensing device The present invention relates to a device for dispensing particulate or granular material, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a device for dispensing nuts and/ordriedfruit.

At present, nuts, dried fruit and the like which are on display unpacked in shops are stored in large drums orothercontainers. When a customer requires some of the produce on display, it is usually thecasethathandfulsofthe produceareplacedina bag or other container until the desired amount is obtained. A scoop is usually provided forthis purpose, but is frequently ignored. This practice will be acceptable when a shop keeper is responsible for selecting and weighing the produce, but in many shops, especially super markets, a self-serve system is used in which customers choosethe product themselves and take itforweighing and pricing at a nearby point. Obviously this presents a hygiene problem which may be unacceptableto customers and to health authorities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for dispensing particulate or granular material, e.g. nuts and/or dried fruit in a hygienic way and also in a way which may be easily performed by a customer.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a device for dispensing nuts or other particulate or granular material, the device comprising a material storage compartment, a rotatable dispensing drum open at both ends, the drum comprising a plurality of dividers which define sectors within the drum, an aperture allowing the feed of material from the storage compartment into at least a part of a sectorofthe drum, levelling means for restricting the level of the material which isto be dispensed from each sector, and an aperture beneath a portion of the drum,through which aperture the material is dispensed.

Preferably, the levelling means comprises a member extending at least partially across the upper level of the dividers, and the levelling member is preferably resiliently deformable.

The drum may be rotatable by means of a hand-operated mechanism, e.g. a hand-operated gearwhich meshes with a ring gear on a peripheral flange attached to the drum. Alternatively, an electric motor may be provided to rotate the drum.

Byway of example only, a specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of dispensing device according to the present invention; and Figure2is an exploded viewofthe device illustrated in Figure 1.

A dispensing device comprises a tubular hopper 10 having a tight fitting lid 12, in which hopper, in use, nuts, driedfruitorother particulate orgranular material are stored. Situated beneath the hopper 10 is a dispensing device 14which is illustrated in more detail in Figure 2.

The dispensing mechanism comprises a dispensing drum 16 which is provided with three equally spaced flatspokes 18 extending radially from a central hub 20. The upper surface ofthe spokes 18, as can be seen from Figure 2, is somewhat below the uppermost portion ofthe drum 16. The upper end of the drum 16 is provided with an annular peripheral flange 22 which is provided on its undersurfacewith an annular ring gear24which is used to rotate the drum, as will be explained.

In use, the drum is situated in a housing 26 which is provided with a planar base 28. A dispensing aperture 30 is provided in the base of the housing 26, through which material is dispensed. A chute 32 is arranged beneath the aperture 30 in order to direct dispensed material into a container.

The drum, and the spokes connected thereto, are rotatable byturning a handle 34 which is pivotally mounted to one face of the housing 26. The handle 34 is provided with pinion 36 at one end, the pinion being arranged to mesh with the ring gear 24 in the peripheral flange 22 of the drum, thereby to rotate theflange and the drum andthe spokes attached thereto.

Arranged above the housing 26 is a controlling device38. This comprises a lamina 40 with circular hole 42 cut therein. The lamina 40 is arranged to have the same external shape as that ofthe housing 26.

One half of the aperture 42 is covered with a semi-circular lamina 44, and extending diametrically across the straight edge ofthe lamina 44 is a levelling and anti-trap mechanism 46, the levelling and anti-trap mechanism and the lamina 44 being non-rotatably and releasably attached to the lamina 40 by means of a tongue and groove attachment (not illustrated). The levelling and anti-trap mechanism comprises a metal strip 48 at whose central portion is fitted a short, rigid piece of plastics 50. Attached to the bar 48 on either side ofthe rigid portion 50 are two rectangular pieces of rubber 52 which are connectedtothe bar48 only by means of one oftheir long edges. Thus, the pieces 52 of rubber are free to flex around the bar 48.

In use, the lowermost portion ofthe rigid portion 50 rests on the upper surface ofthe hub 20 ofthe dispensing mechanism, and the lowermost edges of the deformable portions 52 are to the same height as the uppermost edges of the spokes 18. Also, as seen in Figure 1, an insert 54 having an inclined portion 56 is placed above the semi-circular laminar 44 in order to direct product into the aperture 42 and to prevent product being trapped on the laminar44,where it mightotherwise remain for manyweeks.

When it is desired to dispense product from the device, a bag or other container is first placed at the bottom of the chute 32. The handle 34 is then rotated, in either direction, causing the drum 16 to rotate. It will be appreciated that product, e.g. nuts, will have made its way from the hopper through the aperture 42 and into the drum 16 where they rest between the sectors defined bythe spokes 18 and the internal wall of the drum 16.Asthe drum is rotated, the material in the aforementioned sectors comes into contact with the deformable portions 52, such that as the material passes those deformable sections 52, and underthe laminar portion 44, the material is levelled off, effectivelytothe level of the uppermost edge of the spokes 18, since the deformable portions 52 abut these uppermost edges.The deformable portions 52 are necessary because if a particulate material, e.g.

nuts, is being dispensed, it may not be possible to bring the level of the material exactly level with the uppermost edge ofthe spokes 18, and if the portion 52 were notdeformable, eitherthe mechanism wouldjamorthematerialwould break. As the drum is rotated further by further rotation of the handle 34, the spokes 18 sequentially pass overthe aperture 30 in the base of the dispensing mechanism 14, and since the lowermost edges of the spokes are in contactwith the planar base 28 ofthe dispensing mechanism, the material falls through the aperture 30 in the base ofthe dispensing mechanism 14 and is dispensed to the container at the end ofthe dispensing chute 32.

Itwill be appreciated that the levell ing and anti-trap mechanism allows an approximate known amount of material to be dispensed, but in use, a customer will merely rotate the handle until he or shethinksthatthere is enough dispensed in the container and will then take itto a station to be weighed. The device allows hygienic storage and dispensing of granular and particular products withoutthe necessityfortouching by hand.

The device is preferably made from plastics material, which may be transparent.

The invention is not restricted to the details fo the foregoing embodiment. For example, the hand operated handle 34 may be replaced with an electric motor.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing nuts or other particulate or granular material, the device comprising a material storage compartment, a rotatable dispensing drum open at both ends, the drum comprising a plurality of dividers which define sectors within the drum, an aperture allowing the feed of material from the storage compartment into at least a part of a sector ofthe drum, levelling means for restricting the level of the material which is to be dispensed from each sector, and an aperture beneath a portion ofthe drum, through which aperture the material is dispensed.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the levelling means comprises a member extending at least partially across the upper level of the dividers.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the levelling means is resilientlydeformable.

4. A device as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, wherein the drum is rotatable by means of a rotatable drive memberwhich engages with a portion ofthe drum.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotatable drive member comprises a gear which engages with a correspondinglyformed portion on the drum.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gearengageswith a ring gear on the drum.

7. Adevice as claimed in anyofclaims4to6, wherein the rotatable drive member is rotatable by hand.

8. A device as claimed in any of claims 4to 6, wherein the rotatable drive member is rotatable by means of an electric motor.

9. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising an inclined portion within the storage compartment to guide the material into the aperture through which the storage compartment and the drum communicate.

10. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising a chute extending downwardly from the aperture through which the nuts are dispensed from the device.

11. A device for dispensing nuts or other particulate or granular material, substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.