IL41765A

IL41765A - Dispenser for ice cubes and the like

Info

Publication number: IL41765A
Application number: IL41765A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Deshe A
Priority date: 1973-03-13
Filing date: 1973-03-13
Publication date: 1976-02-29
Also published as: US3929256A; IL41765A0

Claims

1. CLAIMS 1« Dispensing apparatus for ice cubes or other discrete articles comprising a circular rotatable wheel; a longitudinally extending flexible magazine Insertable into engagement with the periphery of the wheel and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced compartments arranged longitudinally in two parallel rows, such that the adjacent compartments are in relative staggered disposition adapted to hold the articles to be dispensed; the magazine being normally flat and having a bottom that fits on and conforms to the curved periphery of the wheel; and a cover oporatively associated with the wheel for retaining the contents of the magazine therein until rotation of the wheel places a single compartment in alignment with an outlet opening in the cover at which time an article in the last mentioned compartment is gravity dispensed through the outlet opening.

2. A dispenser according to Claim 1 wherein adjacent compartments of the magazine are defined by spaced transverse walls interconnected by a longitudinal wall defining the means responsive to flexure.

3. A dispenser according to Claim 1 including cooperating ridges and grooves in the wheel periphery and bottom of the magazine so as to couple the magazine to the wheel for simultaneous rotation.

4. A dispenser according to Claim 2 wherein the sides of the magazine and the sides of the cover project radially from the axis of rotation of the wheel and have cooperating ridges and grooves to retain the bottom of the magazine engaged with the wheel periphery during rotation of the wheel 1 85

5. A dispenser according to Claim 1 wherein the magazine has dividers which, when the magazine is fitted on the wheel, extend axially and radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel to thereby increase the size of the compartment due to the curvature of the magazine on the wheel as compared to the size whe the magazine Is flat.

6. * A dispenser according to Claim 1 wherein the cover has an inlet opening that is tangent to the periphery of the wheel to effect the attachment to and removal from the wheel of a magazine.

7. A dispenser according to Claim 5 wherein the magazine is adapted to contain frozen water which, by reason of the dividers and the curvature of the magazine on the wheel, Is divided into pieces of ice separate from each other and from the magazine.

8. A dispenser according to Claim 1 provided with opposed bearings on opposite sides of the cover to rotatably support a wheel, and also including a manually operable knob projecting through the cover for rotating the wheel, the cover overlying the outlet opening to permit a container to be placed under the outlet opening to collect an article dispensed from a compartment In the magazine by rotation of the wheel until the compartment is opposite the outlet opening.

9. A dispenser according to Claim 1 wherein means are provided for locally deforming the bottom of a compartment in the magazine at a position opposite the outlet opening for physically displacing the contents of the compartmen therethrough.

10. A dispenser according to Claim 1 including a star-shaped wheel rigidly connected to a ratchet wheel by a shaft passing throug the cover, the star-shaped wheel being operatively engaged with the rim of the wheel, and manually operable means for indexing the ratchet wheel to thereby index the wheel carrying the magazine.

11. A dispenser according to Claim 10 wherein the outlet opening has a cover normally closing the same but movable to an uncovering position in response to operation of the manually operable means that indexes the ratchet wheel.

12. An ice cube tra for use with the dispenser of Claim 1 comprising a unitary body having a plurality of tapered compartments defined by interconnected inclined transverse and longitudinal walls of substantially uniform thickness, the bottom edges of transverse walls of adjacent compartments being spaced to allow longitudinal flexure of the magazine, and a longitudinal rib interconnecting the transverse walls of adjacent compartments.

13. A dispenser for ice cubes or other discrete articles comprising a circular rotatable wheel; a longitudinally extending flexible magazine removably attached to the periphery of the wheel and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced compartments adapted to hold the articles to be dispensed; the magazine being normally flat, arid having a bottom that fits on and conforms to the curved periphery of the wheel; a cover operatively associated with the wheel for retaining the contents of the magazine therein until rotation of the wheel places a compartment I alignment with an outlet opening in the cover at which time an article in th last mentioned compartment is gravity dispensed through the outlet opening? and a star-shaped wheel rigidly connected to a ratchet wheel by a shaft passing through the cover, the star-shaped wheel being operatlvely engaged with the rim of the wheel, and manually operable means for indexing the ratchet wheel to thereby index the wheel carrying the magazine? and wherein the outlet opening has a cover normally closing th© same but movable to an uncovering position in response to operation of the manually operable means that indexes the ratchet wheel. For the Applicants