US2123318A - Dispenser - Google Patents

Description

D- C. TAYLOR DISPENSER Filed Aug. 21. 1937 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES DISPENSER Daniel C. Taylor, Huntington Park, Calif., as-

signor to Turco Products Inc., Los Angeles,

Calif., a corporation Application August 2l.,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing apparatus, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, compact device for use particularly for dispensing powdered or granular substances, such as certain food elements, cleaning compounds, and other like materials.

One of the important objects of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the character above referred to, which shall be attractive of appearance, extremely simple and efficient of operation, easy to assemble and disassemble, and which shall be composed of a minimum of parts, while at the same time being capable of performing more satisfactorily the same functions which have heretofore required the use of more complicated and expensive apparatus.

Another important object is to provide a dispensing apparatus having an operating mechanism which, because of its design, is simpler and more efficient and at the same time more durable than any heretofore used, and therefore less likely to get out of order.

A further important object of the invention is to provide, in a mechanical dispensing apparatus for powdered or granular substances, al

new and novel type of mechanism for agitating the supply of material to be dispensed, as well as a delivery means which accomplishes the release of` desired quantities of said material in a more satisfactory and direct manner than has heretofore been attained.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accom- Lpanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1` is a side view showing the improved dispensing apparatus of this invention in vertical cross-section.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same device, partially in section and parts being broken away to morevclearly show the interior working mechanism.

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 50; 4-4 of Figure 1, certain minor elements being deleted for purposes of clarity.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective View showing more clearly the working arrangement of the of California 1937, serial N0. 160,319

(cl. .2m- 106) principal parts of the combined agitating and dispensing mechanism of the invention.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral iii indicates generally the main body portion of a cylindrical container which is adapted to be rigidly supported in dispensing position upon a wall or the like by any well known type of attaching means i2.

The cylinder lil is provided with a suitable lid lli having a handle it, and the edge of the lid is bent downwardly to form a continuous flange or the like i8 preferably adapted to seat upon an annular shoulder or stop 2li formed integral with the exterior surface of the cylinder ill.

The iiange i8 is provided at its rearmost point with an aperture 22 adapted to engage and receive a small lug or button 2li formed at a similar location upon the exterior of the cylinder as best shown in Figure l. The purpose of the cooperating lugf and aperture 22 is to properly locate the lid upon the cylinder so as to align a pair of apertured extensions or ears iii and 28 which are formed at the opposite or forward surfaces of the lid and cylinder, respectively, their openings being normally in registration with each other and adapted to jointly accommodate the bow of a padlock or some other locking device (not shown), in the event it is desired to guard against unauthorized access to the interior of the device at this point and against possible removal and consequent loss of the lid.

The hole and button combination 22".'-242 also serves as a hinge substitute, inasmuch as it forms a temporary releasable connection between the container lll and lid lll when the latter is lifted during examination and re-nlling operations, and serves to retain the lid in such position during these operations so that the forward ears 2S and 28 will immediately resume their aligned relation when the lid again lowered. A further function of the hole and but-ton elements 22 and 2li is to prevent rotation of the lid upon the container independent of the use of a forward locking device.

A bottom or outlet member 3l! is provided and is preferably secured under the lower mouth of the cylinder lll in any conventional manner so as to provide atight t and at the same time allow for its ready removal for purposes of disassembling, repairs, cleaning, and the like.

For purposes of illustration I have shown the upper'edge of the member 36 formed with a cir-V cular vertically disposed flange 32 of slightly lesser diameter than the diameter of the lower mouth of the cylinder ll), which flange is adapted to be slid into the lower mouth of the cylinder, and because of the close frictional engagement of the surfaces involved, will normally result in a secure, tight-fitting `ioint of sufficient strength to support the completely assembled bottom member 38 as well as a capacity supply of the material to be dispensed. However, in cases where additional securing means at this point is necessary or desirable, the bottom member 38 may be positively and detachably secured to the cylinder element Ei! by any well known method, as, for example, by the insertion of screws, rivets, pins, or the like (not shown) at proper locations and in a manner so as to pierce the cylinder wall l and engage the material of the flange 32.

A horizontally disposed outwardly directed annular shoulder 34 located at the base of the flange 32 provides a uniform seat or stop for the lower edge of the cylinder l0 and serves to locate the respective parts in perfect symmetrical arrangement.

As best shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the bottom or outlet member 30 is preferably a casting of frustro-conical shape, the interior of which is partially hollowed out to form a Wide upper chamber or mouth 35, the interior wall of which inclines downwardly and inwardly.

The lower section of the base 3D has a round horizontal bore 38 extending thereinto beginning at an exterior opening 4@ and terminating at a point slightly beyond Vertical center, as best shown in Figures 2 and 5.

The ceiling of the bore 38 is broken by an opening 42 connecting the bore with the chamber or mouth 36, and a vertical outlet channel 44 extends downwardly from the oor of the bore to an exterior dispensing mouth 46, thus forming a continuous Vertical passage from within the container Il) to the exterior dispensing opening 4S.

Positioned centrally within the base 30 and directly between the passages 42 and 44 and rigidly mounted at one end of a shaft 48, is a gear wheel or the like 50 rotatable with the shaft 43. The inner end of the shaft 48 is journaled in a recess 52 formed in the interior of the base 3l), while its opposite end is somewhat elongated and is mounted in a removable bearing 54 which is of sufficient length to ll all of said bore with the exception of the space occupied by the gear wheel 58, and leaving a chamber in the central portion of the base 30 just large enough to permit of free rotation of the gear wheel 58. The shaft 48 extends completely through the bearing 54 and terminates at a point exteriorly of the apparatus, at which location a crank 56 or the like is detachably mounted thereon by means of which crank the shaft 48 and its attached gear-Wheel58 are rotatable.

The bearing 54 may be retained within the base 30 by means of a set screw 58, and a similar set screw 68 may be the means of retaining the crank 56 upon the end of the shaft 48.

In the preferred form of construction the gear teeth 62 are spaced considerably apart and have a relatively wide face and deep root circle, as best shown in Figures l and 6, for reasons hereinafter mentioned.

Fixedly mountedwithin the cylinder Il) is a funnel-shaped hopper element or the like 64, preferably having a vertically disposed upper edge or ange 66 by means of which it can be conveniently slid into or out of the cylinder Il), and which flange also serves to provide a frictional contact for the interior wall of the cylinder l0 for keeping the hopper 64 in proper position within the device. However, the hopper 64 may be held in place by means of screws, pins, or any other suitable auxiliary fastening means (not shown), if such additional securing means are desired.

The lower portion of the hopper 64 terminates in a circular opening 68, the outer edge of which preferably rests upon the rounded surfaces of a pair of shoulders 'l which forms a part of the oor of the chamber 35, being the upper walls of the bore 4B.

Situated within the hopper 64 at approximately the middle thereof is an agitating ring or the like l2 resting upon and rigidly secured at the points 74 and 16 to a horizontally disposed shaft 13 the ends of which are journaled in suitable bearings 88 located upon the interior surface of the hopper 64.

The middle of the shaft 78 is provided with a flat face 80 to which is rigidly attached a vertically disposed flat leaf spring element 82, the upper portion of which is constantly retained in vertical position by an arm 84, one end of which is welded to the interior wall of the hopper flange, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4, and the arm 84 inclines upwardly and interiorly, with its free terminus being located centrally of the container l S, at which point it is provided with an aperture 86 for loosely retaining the upper end of the leaf spring 82.

The lower portion of the leaf spring extends downwardly past the shaft T8 and is sufficiently long to extend through the passage 58-36-42 and to a point Within the outer circle of the gear Wheel 58 and between the teeth thereof.

When the apparatus is thus fully assembled and a supply of dispensable material contained therein, a small amount of said material will drop down through the hopper 64 and past the openings 68-36- 42, and come to rest in the grooves between the gear teeth 62 then in close proximity which provide a temporary floor for restraining the downward flow of the material. Thereupon any turning of the crank 56 will cause the gear wheel i) to revolve and carry downward toward the dispensing channel 44 any material resting in the grooves, which material will then obviously drop through the outlet 44-46 as fast as it is deposited thereinto by the gear wheel grooves passing thereover.

The action of turning the crank 55 also simultaneously results in a very thorough agitation of the contents of the dispenser, for as the gear wheel 58 revolves, the teeth 62 thereof will strike the lower edge of the spring 82 in the manner best shown in Figure 1, whereupon the spring will be under tension until suddenly released after having passed over the face of the gear tooth, whereupon it snaps quickly back into its original rigid suspended position, thus providing a very pronounced vibration along the entire surfaces of the spring 82, the ring 12, and the shaft 78, as said shaft will pivot in its bearings due to the corresponding movement of the ring 'l2 with that of the shaft '18, which, of course, always moves with the vibrations of the leaf spring 82, being rigidly attached thereto.

It will be apparent that this motion provides for agitation of the dispenser contents at all points where such action is desirable, thel effect of the vibratory movement of the mechanism keeping the material in readily dispensable form at all times so that it can easily gravitate downward and keep the dispensing channel well supplied, a result which has been much sought after in devices heretofore used, but only rarely attained even in dispensers having more complicated and expensive mechanisms.

A further exclusive feature of the invention is that the dispenser construction herein described may be operated by turning the crank 56 in either direction, that is, clockwise or anti-clockwise, with the same identical result of causing a satisfactory agitating and dispensing action simultaneously, and without harming the device in any `way.

Since the amount of material dispensed by one complete turn of the crank 56 is governed by the amount carried by the gear wheel 50, the gear teeth 62 may be spaced far apart as hereinbefore described, to provide for maximum capacity. It will be apparent that when delivery of a smaller amount of material per turn of the crank is desired, a gear wheel of more limited capacity may be easily substituted, because of the extremely simple design and ready removability of the parts involved, thus enabling an owner,V or operator to use the same dispenser for purposes of dispensing a, wide variety of materials in different quantities at different times, without necessity of having on hand and in simultaneous use a large number of separate dispensers.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details. of construction, Varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispensing apparatus, comprising a reservoir having a dispensing opening in the bottom thereof, and having means for simultaneously agitating the contents of the dispenser and dispensing predetermined quantities thereof, said means including a rotatable toothed wheel posi tioned adjacent the dispensing opening, a horizontally disposed shaft pivotally mounted in the reservoir above the toothed wheel, a horizontally disposed vibrator element rigidly attached to and moving with said shaft, a vertically disposed leaf spring element rigidly attached to said shaft and having its upper end extending upwardly into the body of the reservoir above Ythe said shaft and vibrator element, the lower end of said spring depending downwardly in the direction of the dispensing opening and terminating at a point within the outer circle of said toothed wheel and between the teeth thereof, and means for restrainin g the sidewise movement of the upper spring endand exterior control means for imparting motion to said agitating and dispensing means, said control means being operable in either a clock-wise direction or in an anti-clockwise direction at the will of the operator.

2. A dispensing apparatus, comprising a reservoir having a dispensing opening in the bottom thereof, and having means for simultaneously agitating the contents of the dispenser and dispensing predetermined quantities thereof, said means including a rotatable toothed wheel positioned adjacent the dispensing opening, a horizontally disposed shaft pivotally mounted in the reservoir above the toothed wheel, a horizontally disposed vibrator element rigidly attached to and moving with said shaft, a vertically disposed leaf spring element rigidly attached to said shaft and having its upper end extending upwardly into the body of the reservoir above the said shaft and vibrator element, the lower end of said spring depending downwardly in the direction of the d-ispensing opening and terminating at a point within the outer circle of said toothed wheel and between the teeth thereof, and means for restricting the sidewise movement of the upper spring end, and exterior control means for imparting motion to said agitating and dispensing means.

3. A dispensing apparatus, comprising a reservoir having a dispensing opening in the bottom thereof, and having means for simultaneously agitating the contents of the dispenser and dispensing predetermined quantities thereof, said means including a charge measuring device adjacent said opening, a horizontally disposed shaft pivotally mounted in the reservoir above said charge measuring device, a horizontally disposed vibrator element rigidly attachedto and moving with said shaft, a vertically disposed leaf spring element rigidly attached to said shaft and having its upper end extending upwardly into the body of the reservoir above the said shaft and vibrator element, the lower end of said spring depending downwardly in the direction of the dispensing opening and terminating at a point within the horizontal plane of said charge measuring device, and means for restricting the sidewise movement of the upper spring end, and exterior control means for imparting motion to said agitating and dispensing means.

4. A dispensing apparatus, comprising a reservoir having a dispensing opening, and having means for simultaneously agitating the contents of the dispenser and dispensing predetermined quantities thereof, said means including a charge measuring device adjacent said opening, a horizontally disposed shaft pivotally mounted in the reservoir above said charge measuring device, a horizontally disposed vibrator element rigidly attached to and moving with said shaft, yielding means normally holding said shaft and vibrator element substantially in a predetermined position, and means operable from the charge measuring device for rocking said shaft against the tension of said yielding means, and exterior control means for imparting motion to said agitating and dispensing means.

DAN. C. TAYLOR.

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