US1891542A

US1891542A - Drinking cup dispenser

Info

Publication number: US1891542A
Application number: US520201A
Authority: US
Inventors: Huff Ernest
Original assignee: AMERICAN LACE PAPER Co
Current assignee: AMERICAN LACE PAPER Co
Priority date: 1931-03-05
Filing date: 1931-03-05
Publication date: 1932-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1949-12-20

Description

Dec.`20, 1932. E. HUFF DRINKING CUP DISPENSER Filed March 5, 1951 mvENToR 'BY 7 www, ,1f/Law ATTORNEY S however,

Y out Patented Dec. 20, 1932 'UNITED .STATES :PATENT oral-*ICE ERNEST HUFF, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONS COMJEANY, 0F MILWAUKEE,

IN, vnssIeNoR To. AMrmICAN LACE PAPERQ WISCONSIN, .A .coRroRATIoN .or WrscoNsm Application .led March 5,

VThis invention relates to improvements in ldrinking cup dispensers. 'Y

:It is theobjectofthe invention to provide Ya novel and simple form of dispenser havling no movingparts and in which a stack of paper cups or like `articles is sup-ported on A.fixed flanges so designed as *to*l provide adequate support for thestaclz, to *permit the Vwithdrawal of individual cups from the bottom of the stack, and to `minimize the resistance to such withdrawal.

There have been numerous attempts to devise dispensers `for paper cups and the like `in which fixed flanges would :take the place of movable escapement mechanisms. It has7 been characteristic of the fixed flange devices-thatrthey have either beeninaccurate in permitting the escape of imore than one'cuprat a time or elsehave afforded so much resistance as 4to be very'diflicult of operation. VThe lpresentinvention 'seeks` to overcome lthese objections :by VKa design `in which Y the dispensing flanges are spaced apart for a distance less than the distance between the marginal bead portionsof the Vcupsto be dispensed and are so arrangedwith referencegto thegenclosing barrel as to provide space into which the distorted'margnal bead portion of the cup may expand during 'its successive clearance of the flange members `which oppose its, discharge.- Since clearance is providedfor but one cup bead at a timefthe device functions accurately in discharging individualV cups and since the cup bead clearsthe projecting flanges successively instead of simultaneouslythe resistance to withdrawal is minimized.V Hence a -device embodying the present invention material fori retaining the .upper :portion cfm thestackjof'cupstobe dispensed. i"

1931. ASerin No. 520,201.

-Like characters throughout'the several lviews.

The v'dispensing` device comprises a sleeve .5 providedI at its rear witha boss 6 havinga parts are identified `bythe reference dovetailed slot at 7 Vto engage a mountingffs plate V8. The intermediate portionlof the slot 7 is deep enough to secure the heads of screws used-to supnortthefmounting plate.

VThe mounting .plate has laterall notches, oney of whichis shown at 9, andvvhich are adapted ed to receive set screws `10 inserted tfromthe sides of boss 6, as shown in dotted lines-in Figure 3. v

The sleeve 5 `is counter fbored to receiveM tube l1 which vissupported on shoulder 12""6 with its interior surface flush. With1thefad- #Tube 511 may glass orfother jacent interior wall 1 ofV tube 5. comprise the usual tubing of Below tube l1 'the `interior fsurface of disp pensingV sleeve '5 tapersvery slightly inwardly,:as'shown at 15, toward'ashoulder '1G-at whichthe transverse dimensionof the interior vbore through sleeve 5 enlarged in a lateraldirection. The diameter `of the sleeve :portion 1'5 immediately aboveshoulder 16 is made to 'correspond closely to the diameter=of the'beads rof'the,

l cups to'be dispensed, thus r'eceivingfthe staekti and permitting it free yaxial movementwhile substantially eliminating possibility of v'lateral movement of lthe lowermost cups.

At the front andrear of the interior lWallf is substantiallyc surfaces ofthe sleeve 5 ijustbelow-shoulderugr '16 are'flanges 17 and 4 18 which project'centrally to materially restrict the internaldiameter of sleeve' from front to rear. These flanges have ybeveled upper surfaces and aref;- very slightly offset in a vertical direction-so that they Will not simultaneously oppose their lmaximumresistance to a given cup which isl being dispensed therefrom. The offset is preferably less than the distance b etween'feiiV corresponding bead portions of consecutive cups in the stack. Below the flanges 17 and 181I the internal'peripheryfof sleeve 5` again becomes" cylindrical .as shown atv20, its diameter" being thesame yas the transverse di-y 100 mension immediately below shoulders 16 at the sides of the device.

When a stack of cups is in the dispenser, the marginal bead portions of the lowermost cup will rest simultaneously on both of the

flanges

17 and 18, the offset of flange 17 above flange 18 being insufficient to cause flange 17 to take the entire load. AWhen the operator grasps the lower portion` of the lowermost cup to effect withdrawal thereof from the dispenser the resistance offered to the front and rear portions of the bead of the cup by

flanges

17 and 18 causes distortion of the bead portionof the cup whereby its transverse diameter is increased as compared with its diameter from front to'rear. The increase in transverse diameter is accommodated by the enlarged bore 20 below shoulders 16. The shoulders 16 are so located with reference to the height of

flanges

17 and 18 as to be adapted to receive only the bead portion of the lowermost cup, thereby preventing more thanone cup from being dispensed; `In this connection it should be noted that the offset of shoulder 18 below shoulder 17 is not essential to the operation of the device but does contribute materially to the smoothness of the operation since, as above noted, the maximum resistance of the

shoulders

17 and 18 is consecutive instead of being concurrent.

When one side of the cup passes flange 17 it immediately springs out to its normal circular form, thus relieving the cup distortion at one side. The other' side of the cup is undergoing Van increasing distortion at A`the moment due to flange 18 but immediately afterward this part of the lcup alsoV is relieved and the cup passes freely from the dispenser.

I have found that the freedom of dispensing action can be controlled quite largely by the extent of

flanges

17 and 18. If such flanges are of less extent than they are illustrated in Figure 3, the dispenser tends to function inaccurately. If the extent of the flanges is increased they afford an unnecessarily great resistance to the dispensing operation. Preferably they should be slightly less than 90O in extent as shown.

VwWhile I have referred to` cup distortion herein, I wish to make it clear that such distortion as occurs is preferablyvery slight,

the dispenser size being accurately worked `out with reference to accurately sized cups to be dispensed.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device comprising a sleeve having a stack receiving portion` a cup delivering portion of greater diameter than said stacl; receiving portion, circumferentially spacedmeans between said portions adapted toengage thelmarginal bead portion of the lowermost cup of a stack, said sleeve being recessed intermediate said cup engaging means to receive bead portions of a single cup passing said means.

2. A dispensing device comprising a sleeve having a portion adapted to receive a stack of cups having beaded margins and a plura.ity of circumferentially spaced means within said sleeve for engaging the margin of the lowermost cup of said stack, said means being axially spaced not to exceed the distance between corresponding marginal portions of two successive ycups in the stack, and diametrically spaced sufficiently less than the diameter of the beads of the cups toy slightly distort a cup as it passes said means.

3. A dispensing device comprising a sleeve having a portion adapted to receive a stack of nested cups with beaded margins, the diameter of said portion being at least as great as the diameter of the cups received;

therein, circumferentially spaced flanges projecting inwardly from the inner periphery of said sleeve for the releasable support of the bead portion of the lowermost cup of such a stack, the wall of said sleeve in-L termediate said flanges being recessed to receive portions of said cup slightly distorted by withdrawal between said flanges.

4. A dispensing device comprising having a portion adapted to receive of nested cups with beaded margins, the diameter of said portion being at least as great as the diameter of the cups received therein, circumferentially spaced flanges projecting inwardly from the inner periphery o said sleeve for the releasable support of the beadportion of the lowermost cup of such a stack, the wall of said sleeve intermediate said flanges being recessed to receive portions of said cup slightly distorted by withdrawal between said flanges, the axial extent of said recess above said flanges being insufficient to receive bead portions of more thank one cup. Y

5. A dispensing device comprising a sleeve having a portion adapted to receive a stack of nested cups with beaded margins, the diameter of said portion being at least as great as the diameter of the cups received therein, circumferentially spaced flanges projecting, inwardly from the inner periphery of said sleeve for the releasable support of the bead portion of the lowermost cup of such a stack, the wall of said sleeve intermediate said flanges being recessed to receive portions of said cup slightly distorted by withdrawal between said flanges, the axial extent of said recess above said flanges being insufficient to receive bead portions of more than one cup, the recessed wall being carried out to the end of said sleeve.

6. A dispensingdevice comprising a sleeve having a portion adapted to receive a stack of nested cups with beaded margins, the diameter of said portion being at least as a sleeve a stack,`

great as the dia-meter of the cups received therein, circumferentially spaced flanges projecting inwardly from the inner periphery of said sleeve for the releasable support of the bead portion of the lowermost cup of such a stack, the Wall of said sleeve intermediate said flanges being recessed to receive portions of said cup slightly distorted by Withdrawal between said flanges, the axial extent of said recess above said flanges being insufficient to receive bead portions of more than one cup, said flanges being slightly offset axially whereby to oppose successively their maximum resistance to the passage of a cup while acting simultaneously thereon.

7. In a cup dispensing device the combination With means providing a channel for cups to be dispensed7 of means restricting said channel at circumferentially spaced points, said channel formin0V means being recessed intermediate said restricting means and shouldered at said recess at a level just sufficiently above said restricting means to receive the distorted margin of a single unit toV be dispensed.

8. As a new article of manufacture a cup guide provided With cup obstructing means engageable with circumferentially spaced points of the margin of a cup traversing said guide, said guide being recessed intermediate said points and shouldered tolimit the number of cup margins receivable in the recessed portion of the guide upon distortion by said obstructing means.

9. As a new article of manufacture a cup dispenser comprising a guide havin(r a cup positioning portion, circumferentialy and axialy spaced means positioned to the path of marginal portions of' a cup below said positioning portion and recessed Wall portions intermediate said cup obstructing means limited as to their axial extent above the level of said means whereby to beadapted to receive the margin of a single cup distorted in passing said means.

ERNEST HUFF.

obstruct i