US2606087A - Receptacle for storing and dispensing nested drinking cups - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1952 Filed April 19, 1950 L. R. TANSLEY RECEPTACLE FOR STORING AND DISPENSING NESTED DRINKING CUPS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. SZze 7571 @Zeg ATTOR N EY Aug. 5, 1952 f R. TANSLEY RECEPTACLE FOR STORING AND DISPENSING NESTED DRINKING CUPS Filed April 19, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 0 INVENTOR. ZesZzej'i TansZey Hyg/WM ATTORNEY lcups of various sizes.

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 accessi BECEPTACLE FOR STORING AND DISEENS- ENG NESTED DRINKING CUPS Leslie R. Tansley, Worthington, Ohio, assigner to White Castle System, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Applic'ationApril 19, 1950, Serial No. 156,880

4 Claims.

l This invention relates to an improved receptacle for receiving, storing and individually dispensing nested articles, such as drinking cups of paper or paperboard composition.

Such cups are produced by the manufacturers thereof in different sizes, the same varying in depth and diameter. As a result, it has been customary to provide dispensing receptacles for such cups in which each receptacle is specifically designed for the reception of drinking cups of but one size, necessitating the employment of a number of different dispensing receptacles for Accordingly it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a cup-dispensing appliance which is cap-able of holding a relatively large number of paper drinking cups in nested order, with a lower yor terminal cup accessible through the bottom of the machine for lindividual Withdrawal purposes, and wherein the machine includes a novel arrangement of cup-supporting devices adjustable relative to each other to adapt such devices for the support of cups varying in diameter.

Another object of the invention is to provide.

a paper cup dispensing machine employing a magazine having a base in which is arranged a pairroi spaced pivotally movable cup-supporting pawls occupying at all times definite positions in the base of the machine, the said pawls coacting with a similar pawl mounted on an adjustably movable carrier and capable of being moved toward and away from said. iirst-named pawls, whereby to vary the spacing between said pawls andv adapting the same thereby to cups of different diameter. j

A further object is to provide a machine for dispensing paper drinking cups ywhich constitutes an improvement upon the construction disclosed in my prior patent, No. 2,315,827, dated April 6,1943. y

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts described in the following specication and illustrated in the ac.. companying drawings. I

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drinking cup dispensing device or machine formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken through the base of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2

(Cl. S12-43) dicated in Fig, 3;A

lsupporting pawls.

tions ofsaid pawls. n

, 2 and vdisclosing the pawls in positiontoreceive drinking cups of maximum diameter,

Fig. 4 is a similar view disclosing the pawls adjusted to receive and support drinking cups of a diameter smaller than that of the cupsin- Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the cup-V Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the casing of my improved cup-dispensing holder. The casing includes a base 2 in which is positioned a horizontally disposed substantially rectangular frame 3. Carried by this frame are stationary and adjustable cup-supporting pawls, which will now be described.

` The rear corners of the frame 3, as shown in Fig. 3, are provided with stationary brackets A, each of said brackets including parallel side legs 5v which are united at their outer ends by a transverse web 6, the opposite edges of said legs terminating in laterally directed flanges 'l which are adapted to be welded or otherwise secured to the inner surfaces of the frame 3 contiguous to the rear corners of the latter. The legs 5 are formed with registering openings throughvwhich passes a cotter-key 8, the latter passing through openings providedY in thevside wings 9 of a plurality of pivotally movable pawls lil, each of the latter having Aa corrugated cup-,engaging outer web Il and being pivotally movable about the axis afforded by thesupporting cotter key 8. A leaf spring l2 isrXed at one end to each of the brack- Vthe web are so shaped as to receive the rolled or beaded upper edges I3 of'the nested drinkving cups indicated at Ill in the drawings. The height of the pawls is such that each set of pawls will have direct engagement with two or more of the drinking cups, the lower or terminal cup being disposed in engagement with the lower por- A I n association with the pair of spring-pressed pawlsdisposed at the rear of the casing and previously describedrI employ a similar pawl of the same construction and operation but which is movable toward and away from the rear set of pawls, as disclosed more particularly in Figs.y

3 and 4 of the drawings, the movable pawl being designated by the letter M. The Amovable pawl is carried by a bar I5 arranged within the connes of the frame 3, the ends of said bar car- 3 rying headed studs, shown at I 6, which project through elongated slots IT provided in the side members of the frame 3, the length of the slots serving to determine the extent of adjustment of the movable pawl M toward and away from the stationary or fixed pawls.

To control the sliding adjustment of the bar I5, use is made of an' adjusting screw I8 which is provided at the outer end thereof with a knurled turning knob I9. The threaded shank of the screw is received within a threaded bore provided in the front leg 3a of the frame 3, and

the inner end of the screw I8 is swiveled as at 20 in the lower bar I5 of the pawl M, so that by this construction, upon the rotation of the screw I8, the lower bar may be moved back and forth to vary the position of the movable pawl in adapting the latter to cups of different diameters. A light coil spring 2I may be positioned between the leg 3a and the bar I5 to maintain the adjustment of the screw I8 and said movable pawl. The actuating knob I9 of the screw is readily accessible through the open under side of the base 2. The frame 3 at its forward end maybe supported in connection with the base 2 by means of straps shown at 22 and at its rear end the frame may be welded or mechanically fastened to contiguous rear portions of the base 2.

The base portion of the machine terminates at its upper end in an annular seat 23 in which is positioned the lower end of a plastic cupretaining tube 24, the latter being vertically positioned and of suitable height to retain a desired number of drinking cups in nested order.

In the use of the device, it is merely necessary for one seeking to withdraw a cup to engage with nger pressure the bottom or terminal cup of the nested group of cups positioned in the holder. By applying downward pressure to the gripped terminal cup, the latter may be withdrawn from its supporting engagement with the pawls, the latter rocking slightly about their horizontal axes during this withdrawing operation. iSince the cup next above the terminal cup has its beaded edge disposed above the axis of turning movement l of the pawls, it will be apparent that when a paw] is Arocked to release a terminal eupythe next upper cup will be gripped more firmly than normal by the inwardly moving upper portions of the pawls, thus securely sustaining the entire group of cups during the withdrawal operation.

The apparatus is comparatively simple to manufacture and is composed of but few, easily accessible and strong and substantial working parts which are not likely to become out of order or require repair. The apparatus is thus well adapted to be produced at low cost and to be capable of Abeing operated'successfully and satisfactorily over prolonged periods of time.V The cups handled thereby are kept in an orderly manner and the construction of the device is such as to insure the withdrawal of but one cup with each withdrawal operation.

It will be understood that my invention is subject to certain mechanical variations without departing from the essential operating principles thereof or the spirit and scope of the invention as the same have been defined in the following claims.

I reserve the right to employ such modifications as operating the machine with the use of a coin if such a modification should be so desired.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for holding and dispensing in single order a plurality of nested paper drinking cups comprising, a casing including an openbottomed base member and a superposed vertical cup-storage magazine, a horizontally situated rectangular frame positioned in the bottom of said base member below said magazine, a pair of circumferentially spaced inwardly extending cupsupporting pawls provided in the corners'of said frame, a third pawl spaced -circumferentially from said first-named pawls, and a support for said third pawl mounted on and movable longitudinally of saidframe, whereby to adjust the third pawl relative to said first-named pawls to adapt the complete pawl assembly for the support of drinking cups differing in diameter.

2. Apparatus for holding and dispensing drinking cups as speciiied in claim 1, in combination with manually operated threaded means for adjusting the operating positions of the support of the movable pawl and maintaining such adjustment.

3. Apparatus for holding and dispensing a plurality of nested drinking cups disposed in Vertical order, comprising: an open-bottomed base member carrying at the top thereof an upright tubular cup-receiving magazine, a rectangular frame disposed within the bottom of said base member in registry with said magazine, a pair of stationary brackets projecting inwardly and radially from adjoining corners of said frame, a plurality of cup-supporting pawls pivotally mounted on said brackets for turning movement about horizontal axes, spring means biasing said pawls for turning movement in one direction about said axes, a third pawl, bracket means slidably mounted on said frame toward and away from said rst-named brackets, and means for maintaining the adjustment of said sliding bracket and said third pawl to adapt the complete set of pawls to drinking cups varying in diameter.

4. Drinking cup holding and dispensing means as specified in claim 3, and wherein manually operated threaded means are carried by said frame for adjusting and maintaining the adjustment of said slidable bracket.

LESLIE R. TANSLEY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,940,067 Wessman Dec. 19, 1933 2,315,827 Tansley Apr. 6, 1943 2,520,538 Gilbertsen Aug. 29, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,893 Australia Aug. 19, 1930 of 1929

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