US2036109A - Self contained dispensing box - Google Patents

Description

E. s. TRANGAS SELF CONTAINED DISPENSING BOX Filed July 6-, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

Inventor 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W W W E. S. TRANGAS SELF CONTAINED DISPENSING BOX Filed July 6, .1935

Patented Mar. 31, 1936 i N 5 TE D STATES PATENT OFF'IQE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and boxes and has more specific reference to' a match box of the relatively large household or kitchen size such as includes a slidable tray or receptacle and 5 an open ended casing therefor, the improvement having to do w th a self contained dispensing means.

Supplementary to the preceding preliminary statement and to aid in more specifically classi 10 fying the special developments, I would state that it is primarily my aim to generally improve upon dispensing match boxes of this general character by providing one wherein thedetails forming the dispensing means are designedly dif- 15 ferent and patterned along original lines calculated to permit the structure, when set up for use, to be more expeditiously and satisfactorily employed to accomplish reliable and pleasing results.

20 The special adaptation selected to fulfill these requirements had its origin in. a desire to perfeet a structure to outclass and transcend in importance and refinement structurally similar prior art dispensers and from an explicit struc- 25 tural viewpoint it is thought that this objective has been attained in that the arrangement is such that the action is obedient to the demands of the. user in order that no special trick of manipulation is required for the execution of reliable and intermittent ejection results even to the very last match.

A feature of construction is predicated upon the use of an outbent hingedly mounted ledge which performs as a miniature shelf to aid extracting 35 a single match and which has associated. with the end portions thereof complemental bendable tabs satisfactorily usable to slightly obstruct free how of the discharging matches so as to retard the action sufficiently for adequate manual regu- 40 lation and control.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying demonstrating drawings.

45 In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate duplicate or like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a perspective illustration of a conventional match box modified in accordance with so the principles of the present invention to permit it to be used for dispensing purposes by the purchaser.

Figure 2 is a vertical isometric view detailing the suspension or hanger means to support the 55 box in useful position.

Figure 3- is an additional perspective showing looking at the obverse or front dispensing face or side of the box when set up for dispensing use.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the box suspended in place and disclosing how 5 the matches may be fed out for use.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the lower dispens'ng portion of the structure.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view; in perspective, disclosing the finger notch. 10

By way of introduction to the detailed description,. it is to be pointed out that one of the outstanding objects of the invention is to perfect a structure which will be unqualifiedly endorsed by the manufacturer due to the simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, quantity output and assurance of success to the purchaser. Under the c'rcumstances, I have found it expedient and practicable to incorporate the invention. in a so-called conventional or standard match box of the relatively large type most frequently used for household purposes. The open ended shell or casing, which is. of general rec tangular form, is denoted by the numeral 1 andis of ordinary cardboard construction. The slide or tray is indicated at 8 and the matches are distinguished by the numeral 9. One end of the tray 8 is formed with a notch I0. This is centrally located and the open end thereof opens through the adjacent edge, that is. the edge of the 0 tray-end directly in slidable contact with the front wall I I of the box or casing proper; Manifestly', the purpose of this notch is to permit the finger to be inserted as shown in Figure 4 to allow the matches to be manipulated and fed out one at a time.

The front wall I I is formed adjacent the finger notch with a fold line I2. Located in spaced parallelism to this is a score line I-3 which extends completely across the transverse dimension of 40 the wall III. Extending obliquely from the ends of the fold line I2 and matching and merging into the adjacent ends of the score line I3 are the secondary score lines I4. These have companion association with relatively short additional score lines l5, the lines I5 being in alignment with the fold line I2 whereby to define three distinct areas; namely a panel I6 and a pair of duplicate end segments IT.

The numeral I8 in Figure 2 merely designates 5 a reinforced opening in the back wall I9 which serves as convenient means to permit the structure to be hung on a nail or the like 20 as shown in Figure 4.

Now, then, with this arrangement the purchaser buys the box in the form illustrated in Figure 1. In converting it into a household dispensing unit all that is necessary is to take a sharp instrument or knife and slit the wall ll along the lines l3. I4 and I5. This then defines four distinct features. First it defines a discharge slot 2| through which the matches may be dispensed one by one or however desired. Secondly, it defines a bendable flap or flange 16. That is, the panel It now becomes a flange and is in eifect a miniature ledge or shelf. As a matter of fact, in addition to functioning as a shelf it also might be described as a closing valve since it has hinged connection along the line I2 and can be either swung out to the useful position illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 or closed up. The triangular segments i? are foldable outwardly so as to become end tabs. The tabs are independently bendable either in or out so that they may possess the desired diversified actions. That is to say, the tabs can be either swung in over the pointed ends 22 of the ledge to aid in holding the ledge in a substantially horizontal plane in which position they serve as stop elements, or the tabs can be folded slightly inwardly into converging relationship with respect to each other to serve as check fingers. The check fingers tend to slightly obstruct the free outward ejection of each match so that it is retarded sufliciently to prevent it from being pushed out to drop on the floor. In other Words, this particular appointment of the tabs enables them to create a slight drag on the ends of the matches as they are forced out one by one and in fact aid in making this individual and intermittent dispensing action more practicable and possible.

Whereas the partitive companion shape of the tabs and ledge are not essentially as shown it is evident that the employment of triangular tabs I! with pointed end means on the shelf or ledge is not only a unique arrangement but an assembly which is feasible to accomplish the user controlled dispensing action. Of most importance however is the fact that this is such an arrangement as will appeal to the manufacturer and. thereby make more certain the adoption and use of the invention to the ultimate success and advantage of all mutually concerned.

Manifestly, these features have been carefully selected and coordinated to insure a proper mode of ejection and satisfactory results.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a structural assemblage of the class described, an open ended casing, a match filled tray slidable in said casing, one end of the tray being provided with a centrally disposed finger notch, said finger notch opening through the adjacent edge of said one end, one wall of said casing being formed adjacent said finger notch with a match discharge slot having an outstanding ledge forming flange, and a hingedly attached retention and check means at the opposite ends of said flange,

2. As a new article of manufacture and a component part of a dispensing match box assembly of the class described, an open ended shell-like casing formed adjacent one end and in one side with a fold line terminating short of the adjacent longitudinal edges with extension score lines in alignment with said fold line and extending clear to said longitudinal edges, a spaced parallel score line defining between itself and said fold line a panel, and additional obliquely disposed score lines joining the extreme ends of said second named score line and joining at their opposite ends the ends of said fold line to define substantially triangular sectors.

3. A dispensing match box of the class described comprising an open ended casing, a match tray slidable in said casing, said match tray having one end formed with a centrally located finger notch permitting access to be had to the interior of the tray to facilitate discharging the matches, the front wall of the casing adjacent said finger notch being provided with a horizontally disposed transversely elongated discharge opening, an outstanding ledge forming flange hingedly mounted on the casing at the lower edge of the discharge opening of the casing, the ends of said flange being obliquely out, and a pair of companion hingedly attached tabs on the sides of the ledge flange and normally disposed at right angles thereto to extend into the discharge opening.

4. A dispensing match box of the class described comprising an open ended casing, a match tray slidable in said casing, said match tray having one end formed with a centrally located finger notch permitting access to be had to the interior of the tray to facilitate discharging the matches, the front wall of the casing adjacent said finger notch being provided with a horizontally disposed transversely elongated discharge opening, an outstanding ledge forming flange hingedly mounted on the casing at the outer edge of the discharge opening of the casing, the ends of said flange being obliquely cut, a pair of companion hingedly attached tabs on the sides of the ledge flange and substantially at right angles thereto and extending into the discharge opening, said tabs being selectively engageable with the'extreme ends of said flange to serve as retention elements, or being swingable inwardly towards each other into converging relationship to function as match retarding and check elements.

ERNEST S. TRANGAS.

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