US2394621A

US2394621A - Article dispenser

Info

Publication number: US2394621A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis M Lightfoot
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-08-22
Filing date: 1944-08-22
Publication date: 1946-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1963-02-12

Description

' Feb. 12, 1946. UgHTFOOT 2,394,621

ARTICLE DISPENSER Fi1 ed Aug. 22, 1944 "u l "a.

l4 *3 37 I 20 3i x9 '7 2 X4 58 26 )0 INVENTOR.

l2 I 'FRANcIs M. LIGH FOOT ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a 2,394,621 I Y ARTICLE DISPENSER Francis M. Lightfoot, Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 22, 1944, Serial No. 550,514

7 Claims. (01. 312-48) This invention relates generally to receptacles, and more particularly to those from which articles can be dispensed.

An object of this invention is to provide an article penser embodying a receptacle, which, in one of its-many adaptations, simulates an easel or' sta-nd type picture frame movably mounted on a suitable base and containing a stack of articlessuch as cigarettes which can be singly dispensed in response to a predetermined tilting movement of the receptacle from its normal picture-displaying position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article dispenserof theabove described character whose receptacle is pivotally mounted on a base in close proximity to the top surface of the latter in a manne to eliminate all visible and ex traneous. mounting means detracting from the in tended appearance of the receptacle as a standtype picture frame; which embodies a fixed control'element on the base having a wall co-acting with a confronting Wall of the pivotally mounted receptacle, to define a discharge chute constricted towards its bottom end, to confine the lowermost article of a stack against gravitational discharge from the receptacle while the article next above is disposed to be supported by the control element as the receptacle is swung to a position wherein the chutedefining walls of the control element and receptacle separate sufficiently for the lowermost article to be free to gravitate from the chute; and which embodies a front closure panel adapted to support a suitable picture and being mounted on the receptacle fo movement 7 to an open position wherein the panel co-a-cts with the base in retaining the receptacle in an extreme tilted position against its tendency to return to its normal raised position, thus enabling the receptacle to be conveniently loaded with articles to replenish the supply thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combinations and arrange mentsof elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, y Figure l is a view of the article dispenser in front elevation, partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a view of the article dispenser in side elevation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-301 Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 arefragmentary vertical sectional views similar to Figure 3, and illustrating 5 different positions of the receptacle in dispensing an article;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 2; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l-l of Figure 6.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the invention in its illustrated embodiment comprises a flat base H] of glass, plastic, or other suitable material, on which is secured by bolts ll (Figure 6) one leaf l2 of a hinge I 3, whose other leaf [4 is secured by screws- IE to the back wall l6 of the body I! of a receptacle it of generally rectangular form constructed of plastic or other suitable material.

, The central portion of the hinge leaf I4 is cut away to receive a coil spring I9 mounted on the hinge pin 20 and normally urging the receptacle upwardly to the slightly-rearwardly tilted position shown in full lines in Figure 2, and also in Figure 3, to conveniently display a picture 2| 1 on a front closure panel 22 having reduced side portions 23 (Figure 1) freely received in guideways 24 (Figure 6) in the side Walls 25 of the receptacle body IT, to slidably mount the panel for opening and closing movements with respect to the open front of the receptacle body. The top and bottom ends of the closure panel 22 are provided with guideways 26 receiving the top and bottom edge portions of the picture 2| and a protecting glass cover 21 therefor, for co-action with the side walls 25 in confining the picture and cover 2'! against displacement from the cover panel 22.

The receptacle body I! and cover panel 22 coact to define a magazine 30' for a stack of articles such as cigarettes which'are adapted to be singly dispensed from the bottom of the stack ontothe top surface 3| of the base It] through the bottom open end of the receptacle which constitutes adischarge chute 32 from the magazine 36. For the purpose of controlling the discharge of the cigarettes from the magazine, a fixed control'element 33 is secured to the'base 10 by a bolt 34 which also passes through the hinge leaf l2.. 1

The control element 33 hasstop fingers or lugs 35 which are received in recesses 36in the back wall 5 of the receptacle body I! when the receptacle occupies its fully raised position shown in Figure 3, so as to permit the lowermost cigarette in the magazine to pass the stop fingers and be confined against discharge from the chute 32 by being wedged between the confronting

surfaces

31 and 38 of the control-element 33 and cover panel 22 respectively, Which; in the raised position (Figure-3) of the receptacle, converge downwardly to constrict the outlet end of the chute sufficiently to prevent the lowermost cigarette from gravitating from the chute.

In operation, and with the receptacle I! oocupying its extreme raised or picture-displaying position shown in Figure 3, under the actionof shown in Figure 4, so that the lowermost cigarette will be separated from the remaining cigarettes of normally downward converging surfaces '3'! and 38 of the control element 33 and cover panel 2-2 separate at their lower ends while maintaining their original separation at their upper ends, tofinally assume a parallel and then a downwardly diverg- 1 ing relationship so as to release the lowermost cigarette and permit it to gravitate down the inclined surface 31 onto the top surface 3| of the base I0 and thus be dispensed from the magazine.

Uponreleasing the receptacle, its return to'the normal raised position is effected by the spring l9, thus rendering the stack of cigarettes free to gravitate in the magazine 30 a distance suflicient for the lowermost cigarette of the stack to be dispensed in response to a repetition of the above described operation.

To replenish the supply of cigarettes in the magazine 30, it is only necessary to swing the receptacle to the extreme tilted position shown in Figure 2, and withdraw the'cover panel 22 sufliciently for it to rest against the top surface of the base ll! formation; means pivotally mounting'the recep- 1 tacle at the bottom thereof on the base for movement from raised to lowered positionimeans urging the receptacle to raised position; a control element fixed to the base and havin a wall coacting with a wall of the receptacle to define a discharge chute at the bottom of the magazine;

said walls converging downwardly in the raised position of the receptacle, sufiiciently to confine the lowermost article of the stack in the magazine against discharge from said chuteythe control element having means co-actable with the next to the lowermost article of the stack when 1 the stack while the latter are supported by the lugs35 against discharging from the magazine.

However, as this rearward tilting movement is l continued to theposition shown in Figure 5, the i discharge chute at the bottom of the magazine;

said walls converging downwardly in the raised 7 position of the receptacle, sufiiciently to confine the lowermost article of a stack in the magazine against discharge from said chute; the control element having a stop lug received in a recess in the receptacle when occupying raised position so as to clear the path of movement of articles in the magazine; said stop lug coacting with the next to the lowermost article of the stack when the receptacle is moved towards its lowered position, to sustain all but the lowermost article of the stack while said walls separate relatively in response to said lowering movement of the receptacle, sufficiently to release the lowermost article for gravitational discharge from said chute.

3. In an article dispenser, a base; a receptacle having a magazine open at the bottom of the receptacle and adapted to contain articles in stackformation; means pivotally mounting the receptacle at the bottom thereof on the base for movement from raised to lowered position; means urging the receptacle to raised position; a control element fixed to the base and having a wall co-acting with a wall of the receptacle to define a discharge chute at the bottom of the ma'ga zine; said walls converging downwardly in the raised position of the receptacle sufliciently to confine the lowermost article of the stack in the magazine against discharge from said-chute; the control element having means co-actabl'e with the next to the lowermost article of the stack, when the receptacle is movedtowards its lowered .position, to sustain the remainder o'f-the stack in the magazine while said walls separate relatively to release the lowermost article so that same will be free to gravitate from said chute; the receptacle having a cover panel mounted to slide from the bottom to close and open said magazine, and engageable with said base when the receptacle is lowered and the magazine is open, for co-action with the base in retaining the receptacle lowered against the action of said urging means, so as to enable the magazine to be loaded with articles. i

4. In an article dispenser, a base; a receptacle having a magazine open at the bottom of the receptacle and adapted to contain articles in stack formation; means mounting the receptacle at the bottom thereof on the base for pivotal movement from raised to loweredposition, about an axis the receptacle is moved towards its lowered posil tion, to sustain the remainder of the stack in the magazine while said walls separate relatively to release the lowermost article so that same will be tacle at the bottom thereof on the base for movement from raised to lowered position; a control element fixed to the base and having a wall coacting with a wall of the receptacle tc define a the base; means urging the receptacle to raised position; and a fixed control element on the base; said control element and receptacle having relatively movable means defining a discharge chute in the magazine which is sufliciently restricted when the receptacle occupies raised position, to confine the lowermost "article of the stack, against discharge from the magazine: the control element having stop means disposed'to obstruct the discharge .of all but the lowermost article from the magazine as the receptacle is moved from its raised position, while the lowermost article is released by relative separation of said chute-defining means, for gravitational discharge of the article from said chute.

5. In an article dispensena receptacle'having a magazine open at the bottom of the receptacle and adapted to contain articles in stack formation; means pivotally'mounting the receptacle about a horizontal axis located at its lower end, for movement froma raised position to a lowered position; means urging the receptacle to raised position; a fixed control element at the pivotal control element having stop means clear of the path of movement of articles in the magazine when the receptacle occupies raised position, and operable when the receptacle is moved therefrom, to obstruct the discharge of all but the lowermost article from the receptacle, while the lowermost article is released from between said surfaces of the control element and receptacle for gravitational discharge from said chute.

6. In an article dispenser, a base; a receptacle having an article magazine open at the bottom of the receptacle; means mounting said receptacle at the bottom thereof on the base for tilting movement from a raised position to a lowered position; means urging the receptacle to raised position; means operable in response to lowering movement of the receptacle, to release an article from the magazine; said receptacle having a cover for opening and closing said magazine and openable slidably from the bottom to overlie the base when the receptacle is lowered, and maintain the receptacle lowered against the action of said urging means to enable the magazine to be loaded with articles.

'7. In an article dispenser, a base; a body; a cover for said body co-acting therewith to form 10 an article magazine open at the bottom of the body; means mounting said body at the bottom thereof on the base for tilting movement from a raised to a lowered position; means urging the body to raised position; means operable in re- 15 sponse to lowering movement of the body to re lease an article from the magazine onto the base; and means slidably mounting said cover on the body for opening and closing movements; said cover adapted to be opened downwardly to over- 2o lie the base and maintain the body lowered against the action of said urging means, for loading of the magazine.

FRANCIS M. LIGHTFOOT.