US2639960A - Cigarette dispenser - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1953 R. M. FREDERICK 2,539,960,

CIGARETTE n sppu ssa Filed May 23, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. l

Fig. 3 J

I N VEN TOR.

Robert M. Frederick Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a cigarette dispenser, and more specifically pertains to an improved automatic storage and dispensing device for cigarettes and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of a combined storage and dispensing device, and one wherein the dispensing mechanism shall have an improved and extremely eflicient mechanism for automatically removing a single cigarette or the like from a storage magazine and dispensing the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism in conformity with the preceding objects which shall be capable of convenient and compact mounting in various attractive types of cabinets and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in conformity with the foregoing objects in which a dispensing tray shall remove a single cigarette from a storage magazine while positively preventing egress of other cigarettes stored therein; shall withdraw the selected cigarette to a predetermined position, and shall automatically lift or eject the cigarette from the tray into a position for easy removal of the same,

' Yet another object of the invention is to pro- .vide an apparatus in conformity with the forei going objects which shall consist of a minimum of moving parts, shall be entirely dependable and automatic in its operation, and shall be of inexpensive and light-weight construction.

These, together with various ancillary features I and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the foilowing description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, preferred embodiments of which have been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a, perspective view of one embodiment of apparatus incorporating therein the .principles of this invention and specifically adapted for us in automobiles, cars or other vehicles and similar environments;

. View taken substantially upon the plane indicated I by the section line 33 of Figure 1, and showing the interior construction of the embodiment of Figurel, the parts being shown in the closed v position of the dispensing tray;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure butshow ing the position of the parts when the tray is in its open or dispensing position;

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through the embodiment of Figure 2, showing the dispensing tray in its closed position, this view being taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of Figure 6; and

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-4: of Figure 5.

cigarette from the cabinet; and automatically elevating or rejecting the cigarette from the withdrawing means constitutes an essential feature of this invention and may be embodied in a variety of cabinets of different types, specifically adapted for specialized uses, two of these uses or arrangements being shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring first to the arrangement of Figure 1, it will be seen that there is disclosed a cabinet indicated generally 'by the numeral Ill and which may be of any desired construction, size, shape, material and appearance, it being only essential that the same shall contain therein an upper chamber constituting a magazine or storage chamber 12 for receiving cigarettes or similar articles, and a lower chamber [4 in which is movably received the actuating mechanism of the automatic dispenser. Preferably, the cabinet II) will be of an attractive and even ornamental ap pearance, and will be constructed of inexpensive and light-weight materials, such as plastic or sheet metal, having the requisite strength.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1,' 3 and 4, the cabinet It includes a pair of side walls 16, a back Wall [3, a, bottom wall 20, these walls being conveniently of an integral or a rigidly assembled construction.

In suitable horizontally disposed grooves or channels 22 formed in the upper adjacent surfaces of the side walls It is slidably received a panel 24 constituting a support for or the base of an ash tray or the like, indicated generally at 26. By this means, the ash tray may be slidably removed from the cabinet when it is desired to empty, cleanse orservice the same or to charge I the magazine or reservoir l2, and maybe effectively retained upon the cabinet when the side edges of the plate 24 are received in the channels 22.

The bottom of the magazine I2 is constituted by an inclined bottom wall 28, which extends and is connected to the two side walls It and to the back wall 18, the bottom wall sloping downwardly and forwardly toward the front of the cabinet, but terminating short thereof to provide a discharge opening therebetween.

The upper portion of the front of the cabinet is closed, as by a panel 38 which may be integral with or may be separately attached to the walls of the cabinet, leaving an opening 32 below the panel 30. Upon the adjacent surfaces of the side walls 16 there are provided laterally extending ribs 34 constituting supports or guides upon-which is slidably mounted a panel 36 of anydesiredmaterial and referred to hereinafter as a tray. This tra 36 is provided with a panel 33 atits front extremity which is adapted to enclose or cover .thexopeningdfi in the front of .the cabinet. A knob or the like 46 may be appliedto the'closure panel-38 tofacilitate movement of;the tray. The

:tray can be slid into the cabinet, as shown in Figure 3, or may be-slid outwardly therefrom as ishownin Figure 4. in either position, however, .the upper surface of the tray slidably engages -the under surface of the bottom wall .28 of the {magazine [2 'to'at all times close the discharge opening thereof except when an appropriately ,positioned slot #32 extending vertically through .thetray36 is in registry with thisdischarge opening. It vis of course possible that -a recess in the 'upper surface of the tray 36 might be substituted for the slot 42, it being merely essential that .thereis provided a space which is of a sufficient asize to receive therein a single-cigarette or other .article 44 stored in the magazine .i2 whereby, when the tray is withdrawn, the cigarette 44 recessed therein will be withdrawn therewith.

It will be seen that as sofar. described when the .trayis pushed into itsclosed position as shown .Figure 3 a cigarette, under the influence of gravity, will drop from the magazine l2 through thedischarg opening and into the recess 42 of .thetray, whereby, when the tray ismoved to its open position as shown in Figure 4,.this cigarette .may be withdrawnfrom therecess or slot 42, the

discharge opening beingclosed the moment the -recess 412 .is outof registry with thesame toprevent removal of any other cigarette than that which is received andrecessed withinthe opening 42.

'However, the principles of .this'invention further .include not only .the .above described tray construction for withdrawing a single cigarette *from'a storage magazinebut also comprise means for automatically ejecting or elevating the ciga- =rettes so withdrawn into aposition'for'convenient removal by the user. This automatic ejecting mechanism.may obviouslybe of various construc- .tiOIlS, that illustrated in the drawings being .deemed .to .be highly. satisfactory for purposes 1 of :this invention.

Secured to either one or .apair iof depending supporting standards 46 attached to the under .surface of the tray 35 and withinthe chamber |4,.as by a pivot pin M5, is a lever.50 which has ,itscenter of gravityiorwardly of the pivot pin48 whereby the lever is normally gravity-urged into what may be termed its lowered position. This lowered position of the lever is limited by the engagement of a cam or stop surface 52 appropriately shaped and formed upon therear portion ofthe lever, this stop surface being adapted .to

engage the under surface of the tray 36 and to limit further counter-clockwise rotation of the lever with respect to the tray. At its other end. the lever is provided with an upstanding arm 54 which has a cylindrical member 56 thereon constituting a cradle for supporting and receiving one of the cigarettes 44. The arm 54 and cradle 58 are so disposed that when the lever is in its low- .ered'position,assvshown'inFigure 3, the cradle will be disposedjustabove the lower edge'of the slot 42 to constitute a bottom for the same and support a cigarette 44 therein, as shown in Figure 3.

However, when the lever is rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 4, the arm 54 and cradle 58 will be raised, thus elevating the cigarette resting upon the cradle into an elevated vvposition, whereby the same may be readily and accessibly removed by the user.

Iniorder to effect this clockwise rotation of the lever, a cam arrangement is provided consisting of an appropriatelycurved lowencamming-surface 5.8 .formed on .the front portion. of .the lever,

which is adapted toengagewitha fixed surface 60 vformed'by the bottom edge of theslot .or opening 32 of the front of the cabinet. It will .now be seenthat byappropriately contouring the cam surfacefiflthatupon openingof the tray 36 tothe position shown in Figure 4, the cam surface .58 will slide upon the fixed surface .Eiland thus cause the raising or .clockwisemovementof the lever to. eifect elevating of the cradle andits cig- 'removably mounted upon vertical surfaces'such as the windshield, window glass or'various-panels within a motor vehicle, or in various other environments.

"Referring now to the embodimentillustrated 'iniFigures 2, 5, and'6, it-will beseen that'there is .disclosed a similar construction of cabinet, in- :dicated generallyby-the numeral '10, this cabinet having side walls 12,.a back-wall having ends 21:6-and"i8 which extend respectively above and :belowthe topland bottom of the cabinet TO-and are provided with apertures by means of which athebabinetrmay be mountedor supported. The cabinet .is further provided-with a-bottom =wal1 ;.82,.-a;top wall 84,. and with. a frontpanel BB'pre'ferably integrally formed-with the top wallM. It iscontemplated thatthe sidewalls and bottom wall I shall be of integral construction, as shown .in'Figure 6,-withthe back wall 12 being removable, and with an integral partitionBB formed-in the interior of 'thecabinet and dividing thesame into an ash tray compartment!!! formed'inthe lower portion of the cabinet and a space above the same. .Slidably receive-din the ashtray compartment!!! isa conventional form of ashtray 92 of any'desired character, the same "having integrally attached thereto a front wall ill-which also-constitutes a closure panelhaving-a closure handle 96,"for the front of the cabinet. .Sup-

ported upon integral ribs or 'rails 98 whichlare positioned upon the adjacent surfaces of the side walls 12 and midway between the partition 88 and the top panel St is a slidable panel mil constituting a tray and which is provided with a panel H12 at its front end having a knob- IM and constituting a further closure for the open front of the cabinet. As in the preceding embodiment, this tray is provided with a recess or slot H16, and carries depending support brackets m3 upon which is pivoted, as at i ii), a lever I i2 having a camming surface 5 it, a curved stop surface- HS, a support arm H8 and a cigarette receiving cradle: IN, all as disclosed in the preceding embodiment. The tray divides the upper portion of the cabinet into two compartments, that indicated at I 22 constituting a magazine having a bottom wall 624 of identically the same construction as that set forth in connection with the previous embodiment, and a lower compartment I26 which receives the tray and the ejecting mechanism.

The operation of this form of the invention is identical with that previously set forth except for the slightly different construction of the cover for the magazine and the provision of a slidable ash tray within the base of the cabinet.

It is to be understood that the novel tray, and the automatic ejecting mechanism may 0bviously be used with various types of cabinets and in different constructions as desired, the two cabinets illustrated being intended as illustrative rather than restrictive of the principles of the invention.

Since, from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this cigarette dispenser are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the claimed as new is:

A cigarette dispenser comprising a cabinet having a magazine for cigarettes, said magazine having a sloping bottom wall with a discharge opening, said cabinet having a front wall with an aperture therein, a horizontally disposed integral flat, plate-like cigarette delivery tray slidably mounted in said cabinet below said bottom Wall and slidable through the upper portion of said aperture, said tray having a vertical slot extending entirely therethrough and registrable with said discharge opening for receiving a single cigarette, a lever disposed beneath said tray and mounted thereon for vertically pivoting movement, a cigarette support member on said lever receivable and vertically movable through said vertical slot, an actuating cam on the bottom surface of said lever engageable with the lower edge of said aperture in the open position of the tray for imparting upward pivoting movement to the lever and effecting upward movement of the support member through the vertical slot, an abutment surface on said lever engageable with the bottom surface of the tray to limit downward movement of the lever and halt downward travel of the support member within the bottom portion of the vertical slot.

invention, what is ROBERT M. FREDERICK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 368,874 Cole Aug. 23, 1887 385,575 Shiek July 3, 1888 520,063 Kissenger May 22, 1894 553,250 Militzer Jan. 21, 1896 607,537 Benjamin July 19, 1898 753,824 Caldwell et a1 Mar. 1, 1904

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