US2554746A

US2554746A - Cigarette dispensing humidor

Info

Publication number: US2554746A
Application number: US760727A
Authority: US
Inventors: Laichee Jhong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-07-14
Filing date: 1947-07-14
Publication date: 1951-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1968-05-29

Description

May 29,1951

Filed July 14, 1947 J. LAICHEE CIGARETTE DISPENSING nummoa 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/Vl/E/v TOR,

j y/ z z 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN valvraR,

J. LAlCHEE CIGARETTE DISPENSING HUMIDOR Filed July 14, 1947 May 29, 1951 Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES e'rENT OFFICE i The invention relates to improvements in cigarette dispensing humidors as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and easily operated mechanism whereby through the manipulation of a simple device the cigarettes may be brought into exposure exteriorly of the casing one at a time.

Another object of the invention is to provide efficient dispensing mechanism embodyin means operable during each dispensing operation for disturbing the main body of cigarettes to insure movement towards the delivery mouth of the cigarette compartment.

And generally the objects of the invention are to provide a simple, durable and elficient humidor and dispenser which will be attractive in appearance, compact in form, and which can be produced at reasonable cost.

13 Claims. (Cl. 312-83) ing compartment and carries the dispensing mechanism, and B indicates the cover which fits over the frame A and rests on the base I which supports the whole.

The-device is preferably rectangular in plan and of slightly greater width than the length of a cigarette, and includes a transverse rear wall 2 positioned at one end of the base I, and a transverse front wall positioned inwardly a distance from the other end of the base. These two

walls

2 and 3 respectively constitute the front and rear ends of the cigarette holding compartment 4.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts described in the present specification and more particularly pointed out in the claims for novelty following.

In describing the invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved dispensing humidor, with the outer casing shown I in dotted lines, and parts of the framework broken away and the dispensing mechanism in the position it assumes just prior to bringing a cigarette into exposure.

Figure 2 is an end elevation rearwardly with the front wall removed and certain parts shown in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the device with alternate position of the tiltable bottom shown in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 6.

' Figure 5 is a side elevation of the left side of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure '7.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1'l of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of one end of the humidor with cover in position to show a modified form of hand control.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings A indicates generally the frame which contains the cigarette hold- By referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that the rear wall 2 has a portion cut from one edge thereof below its vertical center to provide a recess 5, the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter.

The front wall 3 has a slot 6 therein positioned below the vertical center of the wall and extending transversely of the humidor and being of the required dimensions to permit of the passage of a cigarette therethrough.

The walls of the slot, or delivery mouth 6 are preferably inclined downwardly to the delivery edge thereof and the wall is preferably of a thickness slightly greater than the diameter of a cigarette so that the cigarette can lie in the delivery mouth as and for a purpose to be detailed fully hereinafter.

The rear and

front walls

2 and 3 respectively are preferably constructed of wood and the rear wall is preferably of considerable thickness and is cut away at its inner top edge, as is shown clearly in Figures 1 and 6, to provide a downwardly inclined shoulder l extending transversely of the device and positioned on a considerably higher level than the delivery slot 6 in the front wall and on the same inclined plane as the lower wall of said slot.

Portions of the bottom, and the complete side walls of the cigarette compartment may be formed from a single sheet of metal bent to provide narrow transversely arranged inclined bottom -portions 8 and 9 at opposite ends of the compartment and side walls Ill and II.

The bottom section 3 at the rear of the compartment is inclined in accordance with the incline of the shoulder l and is secured thereto and the inclined bottom section l! extends into the delivery slot 6 in the front wall 3 and rests on the lower wall thereof and extends rearwardly into the compartment a short distance, and such rearwardly extending portion is supported on a block l2 carried on the base I The side walls It and II extend upwardly and 3 terminate substantially flush with the top edges of the

end walls

2 and 3, with the front ends of said walls [8 and II spaced slightly from the front wall 3, as shown at Hi.

It will be noted by referring to Figure 4 that the compartment 4 is of slightly lesser width than the

walls

2 and 3 and that the wall is inward from the outer edges of

said walls

2 and 3 at one side of the device.

Narrow metal straps Hi and I are positioned at opposite sides respectively of the compartment 4 and connect the transverse rear and front bottom sections 8 and 9 and these straps extend downwardly from the rear bottom section B in gradually increasing deviation from the common inclined plane of the rear and front sections 8 and 9 until near the front section 9 to provide a cradle, as at I6, to support the ends of the cigarettes under certain conditions, from which points they rise to the level of the inner edge of the front bottom section. It will be noted that a cigarette lying in the cradle formed by the straps at the rear of the bottom section 9 will be on a slightly lower plane than the edge of said bottom section and cannot pass to the delivery mouth until raised to the level of said inner edge.

A tongue ll made of a spring material is secured at its one end to the rear bottom section 8 and extends downwardly between the straps it and I5 and terminates just short of the front bottom section 9, and is so mounted that its free end is continually urged downwardly.

The tongue I! is arched slightly transversely, as shown in Figure 6, so that when it is restrained against instinctive downward movement it will lie above the common inclined plane of the bottom sections 8 and 9 and will normally support the cigarettes out of engagement with the straps I l and 15.

It will be apparent that on any degree of release of the restraining influence on the spring tongue the said tongue will move downwardly and thus disturb the equilibrium of the cigarettes piled thereon and as such release of restraint against the spring influence of the tongue takes place in predetermined relation to other essential operations in the dispensing process which make movement of the cigarettes necessary, the required disturbance to cause rolling movement of the cigarettes towards the delivery mouth is assured.

A guide block [8 positioned within the cigarette compartment above the front bottom section 9 and spaced therefrom slightly greater than the diameter of a cigarette provides a narrow passage leading to the delivery mouth just deep enough to permit of one cigarette at a time entering the delivery mouth. The block [8 preferably has its top surface rounded, as at 19, to influence the piled cigarettes downwardly towards the entrance of the passage to the delivery mouth.

2% is a plate which normally lies on a horizontal plane below the inclined bottom of the cigarette compartment. This plate extends longitudinally of the device between the

end walls

2 and 3 of the compartment 4 but is free of contact with said walls, and extends transversely from that side of the device opposite to that in which the recess 5 is located to a point slightly short of the edges of the walls on that side in which said recess is located, and has a rearward extension 25 which projects into said recess 5 beneath the horizontal portion of the wall 2 which overhangs said recess. The extension 2| is provided with a wear plate 22 on its top side.

The plate is rotatably mounted at the side of the device farthest from that in which the recess 5 is located, on a rod 23 which at its opposite ends is mounted in the wall 2 and the block I2 respectively. It will be seen that the plate 20 can be tilted downwardly towards the side in which the recess 5 in the wall 2 is located.

A number of coiled springs 24 are positioned between the base I and the horizontal plate 20 at the side of the rod 23 nearest the free edge of the plate, and these springs exert upward pressure against the said plate to normally hold the extending portion 2| of the plate in engagement with the horizontal upper wall of the recess 5, in which circumstance the plate is in its true horizontal position.

A block 25 is secured to the horizontal plate 20 beneath the spring tongue I? and provides the restraining influence against downward movement of said tongue. This block is of such height that when the plate 20 is in its horizontal position the tongue I! will be held to its uppermost position slightly above the straps, or arms, i4 and I5 so as to hold the piled cigarettes normally free of contact with said straps.

The degree of tilt of the plate 20 is such that when fully tilted the free end of the tongue i? will lie slightly beneath the straps l4 and I5 and will thus cause the cigarettes just to the rear of the entrance to the passage to the delivery mouth to be lowered onto the straps l4 and IS, in which circumstance the first cigarette rearwardly of said passage will lie just below the level of the inner edge of the bottom section 9 and partially obstructing the said passage and will thus block the downward movement of the cigarettes therebehind and thus prevent congestion in the said passage to the delivery mouth.

The plate 28 has a lateral extension 26 hinged thereto, as at 21, and extending along its unsupported edge, the said hinged extension, or arm, at one end extending into the recess 5 in the rear wall 2 parallel with the portion 2| of the plate 20, and at its forward end projecting forwardly of the plate, as at 28, and terminating slightly short of the front wall 3, as shown in Figure 5.

A spring finger 29 secured to the top side of the plate 2e and extending laterally into engagement with the top surface of the hinged member 26 provides means for exerting continued downward pressure on said hinged member to cause downward movement of said member as the plate is tilted.

'Ifilting of the plate 26 against the influence of the springs 24 is effected by means of a device 30 of substantially inverted U shape having its arms 3| extending downwardly through slots 32 in the rear wall 2, the slot or opening in which one arm of said device operates opening into the recess 5 above the extension 2| of the plate 20 so that when said device 30 is depressed the arm operating in said opening will move downwardly against the said extension and force the plate into its tilted position. The wear plate 22 being in the path of the arm of the device 30 relieves the surface of the member 2| from wear.

It will be noted by referring to Figure 3 that when the plate 20 is in its horizontal position its top surface and that of the hinged member 26 are on the same horizontal plane, and that as the plate is tilted through the medium of the depressor member 30 it causes a downward pull on the top inner edge of the member 26 and therefore'causes the latter to lower vertically without tilting, rather than to swing on an are as does the free edge of the plate due to its being pivotally supported at its far edge.

The forwardly extending portion 28 of the hinged member 26 is provided with a finger 33 which extends forwardly beyond the front wall 3 of the cigarette compartment and moves upwardly and downwardly in a space provided by cutting away the edge of said front wall, as at 34. This finger 33 is preferably in the form of a flat strip of metal having its broad surface lying on a horizontal plane.

The tilting plate 20 carries on its under side an arm 35 which is secured to the plate at some point, or points, as at 36, and extends laterally to a point beneath the hinged member 26 and is there bent to provide a portion 31 which extends forwardly beneath the finger 33 in spaced relation thereto, and terminates substantially even with the outer end of said finger, or to bemore precise, within the limits of a narrow transverse housing 38 between the front wall 3 of the cigarette compartment and a wall 39 which extends transversely of the device in advance spaced relation to said wall 3.

The housing 38 is partially closed along one side of the device by means of a plate 40 extending between the

walls

3 and 39 from the tops of said walls downwardly to a point slightly above the finger 33.

4| is an endwise tiltable block adapted normally to lie on the base I within-the housing 38 transversely of the humidcr and being of the required depth that its top surface when it is lying on its edge within the housing will lie very slightly below the bottom wall of the delivery slot 6 in the front wall of the cigarette compartment, so that a cigarette rolling down the inclined wall of said slot will be deposited in a horizontal position on the top edge of said block. This block has its under surface cut away at its end which lies at the side of the device at which the arm 31 is located, as shown at 4'2, and is mounted near its cut away end, and in proximity to its top edge, for rotation on a pin 43, which latterextends between the

walls

3 and 39, whereby downward pressure on the rounded end of the block will cause the portion thereof at the other side of the fulcrum point, to be raised and thus raise the cigarette thereton to a vertical position, in the manner illustrated in Figure 1.

The tilting of the cigarette holding block or rack 4| to bring the cigarette to a vertical position is accomplished coincidently with the tilting of the plate 23 through the pivoted connection between the arm 31 and the reduced end of the block and this connection preferably takes the form of an eye-pin 44 secured to the outer end of the block and through which the outer end of said arm 3'! extends loosely.

--It will be seen that downward pressure on the member 30 will tilt the plate 2!], which will cause the arm 37 to bear down on the reduced end of the block 4| and thus rotate said block on its pivot, causing the portion thereof carrying the cigarette to rise to a vertical position and carry the cigarette with it.

An elevator 45 operates vertically within the housing 38 through the medium of the finger 33 carried by the hinged member 26 of the plate 21!. The elevator preferably comprises a strip of rigid material arranged parallel with the end wall 40 of the housing 38 and connected at its lower end to the finger 33 of the hinged member 26 whereby (iii 61 up or down movement of said finger will cause like movement of the elevator.

The elevator has an inwardly extending horizontal ledge 46 near its lower end on to which the lower end of the cigarette being dispensed is adapted to be placed when the block 4| has been raised to its vertical position, and the elevator has been lowered, coincidently with the tilt-" ing of the block to bring the ledge into position to receive the cigarette.

The elevator is further provided with inward- 1y extending pairs of spring clips 41 between which the cigarette is forced in the raising thereof to a vertical position and by means of which the cigarette is held against returning downwardly again with the block M on the return of the latter to its horizontal position ready to receive another cigarette from the delivery slot 6.

it will have been apparent from the foregoing descriptionthat tilting of the plate 23 will cause the finger 33' and the arm 37 to move downwardly coincidently, the finger moving the elevator downwardly and the arm 3'! lowering the corresponding end of the block 4| and raising the other end and carrying the cigarette thereon to a vertical position within the grips of the clips 41 and with its lower end resting on the ledge 45. Release of downward pressure on the depressor 30 will permit the springs 24 to snap the plate 20 upwardly to its horizontal position, thus raising the finger 33 and the arm 3'! coincidently, with the result that the elevator is raised to cause the top end of the cigarette to be brought into exposure through a suitable opening in the cover B, indicated at 48, and the block 4| is thrown back to a horizontal position ready to receive another cigarette from the delivery mouth 6 of the compartment 4.

It is desirable and necessary to the efficie'nt working of the dispensing mechanism that during the tilting movement of the block 4| in the raising of one cigarette the cigarette next to be dispensed be allo-wed to assume a position within the delivery mouth 6 ready to roll onto the block 4| immediately upon the return of said block to a horizontal position, but locked against escape from said delivery mouth while the block is dispensing its load and is not in position to. receive it, and that when the tilter block returns to its horizontal position the cigarette lying in the delivery mouth be released and thus permitted to roll onto the block, and further that while a cigarette is lying on the block the entrance to the delivery mouth be locked against the admission of further cigarettes until the one last on the block is in process of being dispensed. and that during such process the last mentioned lock be released to permit the next cigarette moving into the delivery mouth, which latter must be locked against its escape pending the return of the block to receive it.

To accomplish this alternate locking and release of the opposite sides of the delivery mouth successively locking

gates

45 and 5|! respectively are employed positioned respectively at opposite sides of the front wall 3 and moving alternately to closing and opening positions in relation to the delivery mouth 6.

The gate 49 is positioned within the cigarette compartment parallel with the wall 3 and is sup ported on a fulcrum pin 5| from said Wall to lie normally across the inner side of the delivery mouth when the rack 4| is horizontal as shown in Figure 6. This gate has a laterally extending arm 52 overlying the finger 33 and the arm 31 andfrom this arm 52 depends a pull cord, or wire, 53 having a loop at its lower end through which said finger and said arm extend loosely. The pull cord to the bottom of its loop being of such length that the gate 49 is unaffected by the downward movement of the arm 37 until such arm has moved downwardly sufiiciently far to have caused the extreme outer lower corner of the block 4| carrying the cigarette being dispensed to be raised substantially level with the lower wall of the delivery mouth 6, upon which the arm 31 exerts a downward pull on the pull cord causing the gate to be swung on its fulcrum pin and thus moved upwardly away from the entrance to the delivery mouth 6 to permit a cigarette to roll into said delivery mouth.

The gate 50 lies within the housing 38 and parallel with the wall 3 and extends transversely of the device and is pivoted at its one end on a pin 55 extending laterally from the block 4| slightly in advance of the fulcrum point of the latter, and is provided near its other end with a diagonal slot 56 receiving a pin 51 extending from the wall 3 at a point below the delivery mouth 8.

The connections between the gate at and the rack 4| and the wall 3 are so related that said gate will not be effected by movement of the free end of said rack to a point where the lower outer corner of said rack has reached the level of the lower wall of the delivery mouth, but from that point, which is the point from which movement of the gate 49 away from the entrance to the delivery mouth commences, the pull of the rack 4| on the inner end of the gate 50 will cause said gate to be raised to a position across the delivery mouth to prevent the escape of a cigarette, which has been allowed to roll into said delivery mouth through the raising of the gate 49. Release of tilting pressure on the plate will permit of the springs 24 acting to raise the hinged member 26 and consequently the finger 33 and the arm 31, thus returning the rack 4| to its horizontal position during which return the gate 50 is moved downwardly away from the delivery mouth, but only completely frees the mouth after the rack 4| has assumed a position to take control of the cigarette, so that the cigarette in the mouth will roll onto the rack ready for the next dispensing operation. As the gate 5|) is moving downwardly to free the one side of the delivery mouth to permit the cigarette lying therein to roll on to the rack the gate 43 lowers coincidently to block the entrance to said delivery mouth against movement of a cigarette therein until on the next dispensing movement the gate 58 is raised to hold a cigarette within said delivery mouth, coincidently with which raising of the gate 5|! the gate 49 will again rise to admit the next cigarette to the delivery mouth.

58 is a plate, or other device, adapted to rest on the cigarettes within the compartment 4 to hold them down and keep them in alignment.

A container 59 adapted to contain a suitable moistening element is suspended in any desired manner, preferably below the compartment 4.

In Figures 8 and 9 a modified construction is shown in which the depressor element 30 is located wholly within the casing or cover and is located below a horizontally disposed plate 60 which is accessible through a suitable opening 6| in the cover B, whereby it may be depressed by finger pressure on the said plate. The plate 60 preferably has a downwardly turned portion 62 slidable vertically in suitable brackets 63 carried by the end wall of the cover.

Assuming that the device has been previously in operation with a quantity of cigarettes in the compartment 4 held down by the member 58 and that the cover is in position with the opening 48 above the elevator 45 and that the hand operated depressor is in position with its arms inserted through the openings in the cover and extended into the openings 32 in the wall 2, the device may be operated in the following manner to dispense the cigarettes one at a time.

The member 30 is pressed downwardly and thus causes the arm thereof in the opening above the recess 5 to engage the portion 2| of the plate and force it downwardly, thus tilting the plate 20 and thereby causing the hinged member 26 to be drawn downwardly vertically. This downward movement of the member 26 causes coincident downward movement of the finger 33 and the arm 31 with the result that the elevator 45 is drawn downwardly and at the same time the rack 4|, on which a cigarette has been lying transversely of the device since the last return movement of the rack to its horizontal position, is rotated on its pivot and the rack is then brought to a vertical position raising the cigarette, which latter as it nears its vertical position drops endwise on to the ledge 46 of the elevator. Coincident with the movement of the free end of the rack 4| in its rising movement past the delivery mouth 6 the gate 59 is moved by the further rise of the rack, to a position across said delivery mouth, and simultaneously with the blocking movement of the gate 50 the gate 49 is pivoted by the downward pull of the arm 31 on the pull cord 53 and thereby caused to rise and free the entrance to the delivery mouth whereby the cigarette nearest said mouth will roll into said mouth against the gate 50, ready to drop out on to the rack 4| on the withdrawal of said gate 59. It will be noted that on the downward tilting movement of the plate 20 the spring tongue I! forming a part of the bottom of the cigarette container will move downwardly and thus disturb the cigarettes and cause rolling movement thereof towards the delivery mouth, and that on reaching its lowermost position the cigarettes, except those already in the narrow passage above the front permanent bottom section 9, will be lowered on to the straps l4 and I5 with the foremost cigarette blocked from forward movement by the inner edge of said section 9, and therefore preventing congestion in said passage. Release of pressure on the member will allow the springs 24 to raise the plate 20 and consequently the tongue H, the finger 33 and the arm 31, and also results in the raising of the elevator to move the cigarette thereon upwardly into exposure through the opening 48 in the cover B. As the finger 33 and the arm 31 rise the gate 49 is freed and allowed to drop across the entrance to the delivery mouth and rack 4| drops to its horizontal position and in so doing moves the gate 50 away from the delivery mouth and allows the cigarette therein to roll on to the rack 4| for future delivery.

While I have illustrated and described the present preferred forms of construction for carrying out my invention, these are capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is z 1. In a cigarette dispenser, a cigarette compartment having a transverse delivery slot in one wall and a bottom inclined to said delivery slot, said bottom being open for a portion of its area, a tongue of a spring material extending into the Open portion of said bottom and being spring uged downwardly, spring urged means normally holding said tongue on a higher level than the surrounding portion of said bottom whereby to support the cigarettes thereon above the portions of said bottom atthe sides of said tongue, a rack positioned without said compartment and adapted to receive a cigarette falling from said delivery slot, said rack being fulcrumed at its end near one side of said compartment to tilt to a vertical position and carry a cigarette therewith, a

"gate within said compartment blocking said delivery slot when said rack is in position to receive a cigarette from said delivery slot and movable to free said delivery slot on the upward movement of said rack, a second gate positioned without said compartment below said delivery slot and movable across said delivery slot on the upward movement of said rack, and means connected to said spring urged means and operated on the downward movement of the latter to impart coincident movement to said rack and said gates.

2. In a cigarette dispenser, a cigarette contpartment having a transverse delivery slot in one wall and a bottom inclined to said delivery slot, said bottom being open for a portion of its area, a tongue extending into the open portion of said bottom and spring urged downwardly, a plate positioned beneath said tongue, said plate being pivotally supported along one of its edges only, spring means urging said plate upwardly at one side of its fulcrum point and yieldingly holding said tongue above the surrounding portion of said bottom, a rack positioned without said compartment and adapted to receive a cigarette falling from said delivery slot, said rack being tiltable endwise to a vertical position at one side of said compartment to carry a cigarette to a vertical position, a gate within said compartment blocking the entrance to said delivery slot when said rack is in position to receive a cigarette from said delivery slot and movable to free the entrance to said delivery slot on the upward movement of said rack, a second gate positioned without said compartment below said delivery slot and movable across said delivery slot on the upward movement of said rack, and means operated by said plate on the downward movement thereof to impart coincident upward movement to said rack and said gates and downward movement to said tongue.

3. In a cigarette dispenser, a frame, a cigarette compartment mounted within said frame, said compartment having a transverse delivery slot in one wall and a bottom inclined to said slot, said bottom having a cut-out portion bordered by narrow parallel side straps and relatively wide end pieces, a tongue extending into said outout portion and spring-urged downwardly, a plate positioned beneath said tongue, said plate being pivotally supported at one edge thereof near one side of said frame, spring means urging the said plate upwardly at one side of its fulcrum point and holding said tongue normally to a position above the said side straps of said bottom whereby to hold the cigarettes on said tongue free of engagement with said side straps, a rack positioned without said compartment and adapted to receive a cigarette falling from said delivery slot, said rack being tiltable to a vertical position at one side of said compartment to carry the cigarette deposited thereon transversely of the compartment to a vertical position, a pivoted gate within said compartment normally blocking the entrance to said delivery slot, a gate without said compartment movable upwardly to block the exit from said delivery slot, means operable through the downward swinging movement of said plate to cause downward movement of said tongue to lower the cigarettes thereon for supporting by said side straps, and coincident upward movement of said rack and said gates.

4. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 3, in which the said gates are spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate a cigarette lyin on the lower wall of said delivery slot.

5. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 3, in which the said gate within said compartment is adapted to fall by gravity to a position over the entrance to said delivery slot during the return of said rack to a horizontal position.

6. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 3, in which the outer gate has pivoted connection with said rack whereby movement of said rack in either direction will cause coincident move ment of said gate.

'7. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 3, in which the outer gate is provided with a diagonal slot embracing a guide pin extending from the adjacent wall of the compartment whereby to limit the upward movement of said outer gate.

8. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 3, in which the said side straps of said bottom extend downwardly from the rear end piece in gradually increasing deviation from: the common plane of incline of the front and rear end pieces of the compartment and provide a cradle immediately to the rear of the front end piece, whereby on the lowering of said tongue due to the downward movementof said plate the forward movement of the cigarettes towards the entrance to said deliver slot will be retarded.

9. In a cigarette dispenser, a frame, a casing embracing said frame and having a delivery opening through the top thereof, a cigarette compartment supported within said frame in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, said compartment having a transverse delivery slot in one wall thereof and a bottom inclined to said delivery slot, said bottom having a cut-out portion bordered by end pieces and relatively narrow side straps connecting said end pieces, a tongue extending into said cut-out portion and springurged downwardly, a plate positioned beneath said tongue, said plate being mounted at one side of said frame to swing upwardly and downwardly, spring means exerting upward pressure against the under side of said plate to hold said plate to a normally horizontal position and said tongue to a position above said side straps of said bottom, said spring means being compressible to move said plate downwards, a rack positioned without said compartment and normally assuming a position transversely of said compartment and adapted to receive a cigarette falling from said delivery slot, said rack being pivoted at one end to swing to a vertical position beneath said delivery opening in said casing, an elevator movable vertically in said frame beneath said delivery opening in said casing and adapted to receive a cigarette from said rack on the upward movement of said rack for delivery through said opening, a gate pivotally mounted within said compartment normally blocking the entrance to said delivery slot, a gate without said compartment normally lying below the exit from said delivery slot, means operable through the downward swinging movement oi said plate to cause downward movement of said tongue and of said elevator and coincident upward movement of said rack and said gates, said spring means operating on the release of downward pressure on said plate to cause upward movement of said elevator to eject a cigarette through said delivery opening, and manually operable means accessible exteriorly of the casing for exerting downward pressure on said plate.

10. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 9, in which said elevator is provided with spring clips between which the cigarette is forced by said rack in the upward movement of the latter.

11. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 9, in which said elevator is provided with a horizontal ledge on which the lower end of the cigarette is adapted to rest when deposited thereon by said rack.

12. A cigarette dispenser as set out in claim 9, in which said means for providing downward pressure on said plate comprises a depressible member accessible exteriorly of the casing and having an arm extending into the easing into engagement with the top face of said plate.

13. In a cigarette dispenser, a frame, a cigarette compartment supported within said frame above the bottom thereof, said compartment havin a transverse delivery slot through the front wall thereof and a bottom inclined to said delivery slot, a rack positioned without said compartment and adapted to receive a cigarette falling from said delivery slot, said rack being fulcrumed near one side of said compartment to tilt to a vertical position and carry a cigarette therewith, a gate within said compartment normally lying across the entrance to said delivery 12 slot, a gate without said compartment normally lying below the exit from said delivery slot, an elevator adapted to receive a cigarette from said rack upon the latter reaching its vertical position, a plate positioned beneath the bottom of said compartment and normally lying on a horizontal plane, said plate being pivotally supported along one edge thereof at one side of said frame, spring means yieldingly holding said plate to a horizontal position, said plate having a hinged extension along its free edge at the side of said frame opposite to that at which said plate is pivoted, spring means carried by said plate and exerting downward pressure on said hinged extension, an arm carried by said hinged extension and connected to said elevator, whereby downward movement of said hinged extension will cause downward movement of said elevator, an arm carried by said plate and connected to said rack whereby downward movement of said plate will cause said rack to be tilted to a vertical position, means adapted to be engaged by said plate during the downward movement thereof to swing said gate within said compartment away from the entrance to said delivery slot during the latter period of the upward movement of said rack, and a manually operable depressible member for depressing said plate.

J HON G LAICHEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 387,670 Whittaker Aug. 14, 1888 466,928 Graves Jan. 12, 1892 615,359 Mereness Dec. 6, 1898 1,997,796 Jay Apr. 16, 1935