US2750072A - Devices for containing and dispensing granular, powdered or crystalline material - Google Patents

Description

2,750, DERED L. N. DUNCAN June 12. 1956 POW DEVICES FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING GRANULAR OR CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1951 Ls: NORMAN 0u/vcA/v 8 Li d/Z (Ittomeg;

June 12. 1956 L N DUNCAN 2,750,072

DEVICES FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING GRANULAR, POWDERED OR CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL Filed Jan. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEE. NORMAN Du/vcmv BY e ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent '0 DEVICES FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING GRANULAR, POWDERED OR CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL Lee Norman Duncan, Oklahoma City, Okla; Edith Baldwin Duncan, executrix of said Lee Norman Duncan, geceased; by decree of distribution to Edith Baldwin uncau Application January 25, 1951, Serial No. 207,710

14 Claims. (Cl. 222-42) This invention relates to improvements in containersdispensers for containing granular, powdered or crystalline material and the like and for dispensing the same in measured volumes. An example of such a device is one for containing such material and dispersing it in measured volumes for use in the preparation of foods and for compounding chemicals.

An important object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device which, in one form, will accurately dispense measured volumes of flowable material, and in another form is adapted to accurately dispense caked material but both forms have many parts in common.

Another important object is to provide a containerdispenser of such materials which is so constructed that moisture is not apt to find a way into the containerdispenser and the material will not be affected thereby.

A further important object is to provide a dispenser which is readily manipulated by the operator, in that complicated adjustments of levers, thumbnuts, knobs and the like are not necessary in order to effect accurate dispensing of the material.

In addition, an important object of the invention is to utilize portions of the new container-dispenser to perform dual functions and thus reduce the number of parts.

Another important object is to provide a containerdispenser which will not be apt to become clogged by the material to be dispensed and thus rendered inoperative.

A major object is to provide a detachable receiver, associated with the new device, to receive the dispensed material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed de- I dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view (exploded) of the portions of this new container-dispenser for agitating, accurately measuring and dispensing the material. 7

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the container-dispenser of Fig. l with parts broken away in order to show portions of the interior construction.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower or dispensing end of this new container-dispenser showing material being dispensed.

Fig. 5 is a top plan of this new dispenser-container.

Fig. 6 is an elevation thereof. 1 1

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a portion of the upper end of the housing of the container-dispenser at a grooved portion thereof.

Fig. 8 is a like section but adjacent the lower end of the housing.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a modification of the conice miner-dispenser arranged to contain and dispense caked material.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the lower portion of the container-dispenser of Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view (exploded) of this lastmentioned container-dispenser illustrating only the devices for agitating, accurately measuring and positively dispensing the caked material.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower or dispensing end of the container-dispenser of Figs. 9, l0 and 11, showing caked material being dispensed.

Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate a modification of the means providing a closure and to guide an operator to accurately manipulate the dispensing means of either the form of invention of Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive or of Figs. 9, l0 and 11.

Fig. 12 is an elevation of the upper end of the housing of either form.

Fig. 13 is a vertical section thereof.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown plural forms of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates one form of the invention, particularly, but not wholly, adapted for containing and dispensing readily flowable material D and having an upwardly-facing combined closure and dialing means; the letter B, another form, useful in containing and dispensing such material E which is inclined to cake; the letter C, a modified form of either the form A or B, but with outwardly-facing dialing means; the letter F a support of the several forms of the invention, and the letter G a receptacle for the dispensed material.

The form of the container dispenser A, shown particularly in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, comprises a receptacle or housing 15, means 16 to detachably secure it to a support F, means 17 to agitate the material D, means 18 to move measured volumes of material to a discharge port, means 19 to cause operation of the means 18 when manipulated by an operator, and means 20 providing a closure and to guide the operator to correctly manipulate the means 19.

Referring to Figure l, the receptacle or housing 15 preferably comprises an outer wall 25 extending upwardly from a bottom wall 26 and defining a compartment 27 having an upwardly-opening mouth. At least the lower portion 28 of the wall 25 is preferably circular at its inner face and may converge downwardly to the bottom wall 26. This lower portion 28 is stepped, providing an upwardly-facing abutment or shoulder 29 at its inner face to receive the edge portion of a false bottom 40 to be subsequently described, and the wall 25 is provided with a longitudinally-extending guideway or groove 3% extending from the mouth mentioned to at least the shoulder 29 and opening into the compartment 27 to slidably receive a tongue 41 of the false bottom 40 and having an additional function in connection with the means 20, as will be subsequently detailed. Because the housing 15 may be made of hardened plastic material with the wall 25 relatively thin, the groove 30 may be in a longitudinal rib 31 of the wall 25.

The bottom wall 26 of the housing 15 is provided, as in Fig. 3, with a suitable discharge opening or port 35 extending from the juncture of walls 25 and 26 toward the axial center of the wall 26 where it ends at the periphery of an upwardly-extending, hollow cylindrical bearing 36, with an axially disposed shaft-receiving opening 37. The downwardly-opening hollow or recess 38 of the bearing'36, accommodates portions of the means 19. The inner face of the bottom wall 26 is preferably smooth and the two straight sides of the opening or port 35 converge toward the axial center of this bottom wall substantially as in Fig. 3'.

Above the bottom wall 26 is a false bottom 49, well shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which may be a metallic or hardened plastic material disc, with its edge portion resting upon the .shoulder 29. From Fig. l it will be noted that the cross section of the false bottom shows a very htly lowered structure. From theperiphery of the false bottom disc extends a tongue 41 adapted to slide longitudinally of the groove 30, whereby the tongue, in combination with the walls of the *roove, prevents rota.- tio of the false bottom 4%. The false bottom has a collar- U from its periphery, with a portion of the InlllQJLll cut. out being extended downwardly, as being bent down- \=.'ardl to provide a bafile 4-3. It will be noted, by comrig Figures 2 and 3 that the opening 44- formed by this cut out is l'rger than the opening 35.

Any suitable means 16 may be provided to dctachably secure the hou ing to a support F. This means may ped projection 45, shown in Fig. 3, exl the outer face of the wall with opposite the wedge shaped projection converging down' wardly and adapted to fit snugly against the inner down 'y--converging faces of a bracket 46 of the support ich may be a metallic strip bent to form two conarms and a bight portion with the latter suitably ed to a wall or the like. This projection 45 is hollow and may be a continuation of the plastic material forming the wall Means 1'7 to agitate the material D is best shown in Fig. l and the intermediate portion of Fig. 2 and cornprises a hollow hemispherical or domed member 59 open at its bottom and provided with a shaft-receiving polygonal opening 51. Radiating outwardly from the lower part of the hemispherical wall of the member 50 are a plurality of substantially equally spaced apart agitator elements 52 which may be arms which extend with their outer free ends nearly touching the inner face of the wall 25 just above the shoulder 29 when the means 17 is in place.

The means 18 to move measured volumes of material to a discharge port (the port is best shown in the lower portion of Figure 2 and comprises a hollow cylindrical member 55 having a top wall 56 provided with a shaft-receiving polygonal opening 57 surrounded by an upwardly-extending collar 58. Radiating from the cylindrical wall of the member 55 are a plurality of substantially equally spaced-apart pushers or arms 59 extending to very close to the inner face of the wall portion 28, when the means 18 is in place in the housing 25. From Figures 1, 3 and 4 it will be noted that the pushers or arms 59 have downwardly-opening preferably narrow recesses 60.

First, with reference to the space 61 defined by the two facing faces of two adjacent pushers or arms, the horizontal planes of their upper faces, the inner face of the bottom wall 26 upon which they rest and over which they slide the adjacent outer face of the cylindrical member 55 and the adjacent inner face of the portion 28, this space 61 is so proportioned that the volume of material D which may fill the space 61 is, for example, one-quarter of a teaspoonful. It is desired that the distance between the two non-confronting faces of two adjacent pushers or arms 59 be such that when the space 61 is directly over the port 35, only one such space 61 will be open to this port, but the two recesses 60 nearest this space will also be open to this port. But, as may be appreciated in Figure 4, the non-confronting outer wall 62 of one of a pair of adjacent pushers or arms 59 will bloek the entrance of material D into the discharge space above the port 35.

The material D in each space 61 as the latter approaches the vertical plane of the dicharge port 35 is leveled by the lower edge of the baflle 43 as is clear in Figure 4 for this edge is very close to the upper face of the adjacent pusher 59, in fact, may substantially contact this face.

Means 19 to cause operation of the means 18 when manipulated by an operator includes the polygonal shaft 65 which extends through the compartment 27 and outwardly of each end thereof. In the example shown, the sh t is hexagonal in cross section. It is adapted to l ly fit in the opening 5.1 of the member 54 and openi g 57 in the member 55 and rotate in the opening 37 in the bottom wall 26. Where the shaft 65 projects above the opening 51 there is provided means to limit downward movement of the shaft and this may be the Walls of a sir a; at? extending transversely through the shaft to receive a cotter pin 67 or the like, and below the opening 57 in the member 55 is provided means to limit upl movement of the shaft, and this may be the walls a small opening 68 extending transversely through the 't to frictionally retain a pin 69, which bears upon the ill. face of the top wall 56. Preferably, adjacent the bottom end of the shaft 65 are a pair of recesses 70 th- It to receive the two lugs of a spring clip 72 Sui It in order to retain a washer 73' in place disposed between the spring clip and the lower face of the bearing 36, whereby movement of the shaft 65 in one direction is additionally prevented.

With the false bottom 40 disposed upon the upper face of top wall 56 and the means 17 disposed as in Figure 1, a spring 73 bears, under very slight compression, as its lower end upon the upper face of the collar 58 and its Oil-31 end bearing against the under face of the domed member St).

The means 20 providing a closure and to guide the operator to correctly manipulate the means 19 is shown in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6, and includes a closure and indicia-bearing member 75 to rest upon the upper end of the wall 25 and close the compartment 27. This memher '75 is preferably slightly outwardly convex, has a portion 76 adapted to fit over the upper end of the wedge shaped projection 45, having a downwardly-extending three-sided lip 77 to extend into the hollow of the projec tion 45 and engage three faces of the wall of the latter. A lug 73 is also carried by this member 75 and a portion thereof snugly fits into the upper end of the groove 3%). Even were a skirt not provided for the member 75, the lip 77 and lug 73 would prevent shifting of the member 75 with respect to the receptacle 15. This lug 78 has a dual function since it supports a finger abutment 85 to be subsequently described. Disposed preferably adjacent the outer periphery of the member 75 are suitable indicia '79 such as the fractions M1, /2, and A and whole numbers I and 2, with combinations of fractions and whole numbers. The fractions may indicate portions of a teaspoonful of material and the whole numbers one or two teaspoonsful. Their positions bear a relationship to the spaces 61, port 35 and lug 4-1, as will be explained. The member 75 has an upwardly and downwardly CXiCl(' ing collar 80 about a central opening which rotatably rc ceives the depending collar 81 of a preferably outwardly convex guide element 82 with the collar having a poly onal recess 83 to receive the upper end of the shaft 65 so that manual rotation of the element 82 will rotate the shaft 65 from its normal position. The element 32 is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart finger end rc ceiving openings 84. Normally, there is an opening 84 above each of the indicia 79, when the element 52 is disposed above the closure member 75, with a portion of the lower face of the element 82 disposed upon the upper face of the collar 80. A finger abutment 85 is provided having a bracket portion 86 extending into and projecting upwardly from a suitable socket in the lug 7S, and a hook-like portion 87 disposed to overlie the peripheral portion of the guide element 82 substantially as in Figure 5 so the bight of the hook-like portion will preferably conform to a part of the contour of the edge of any of the openings 84. This finger abutment 85 functions also to prevent separation of the element 32 from the member 75, in cooperation with the collars 80 and 81.

Sincethe guide element 82 is removable from the end of the shaft 65 because this end is simply socketed in the recess 83, and the member 75 comes away with the element 82, the operator can uncover the compartment 27 to fill or refill the latter and can make no mistake in replacing the member 75 because it will not fit upon the outer wall 25 of the housing 15 unless the lug 78 enters the groove 30 and the lip 77 enters the open upper end of the wedge-shaped projection 45.

When the operator desires to dispense, say,i% teaspoonful (or A of a unit) of material, he places the tip of his finger in the opening 84 over and rotates the guide element 82 clockwise (as in Figure until his finger abuts the hook-like portion 87 and then may remove his finger tip. During this step, three spaces 61 containing measured volumes of material D will pass over the discharge port 35 and drop therethrough, and these spaces 61 will again be filled with material D to be discharged, upon further movement of the member 55, because there is a space 61 for every opening 84 and each opening is disposed in a position directly above its companion space 61. Obviously the false bottom 40 prevents filling of the space 61 directly below that portion of the indicia-bearing member 75 between the indicia 2% and A.

Referring now to the form B of the invention shown in Figs. 9, and 11, this differs from the form A only to enable it to function efficiently to dispense more or less caked material. The difference between the forms A and B reside in a false bottom 90 differing from the false bottom 40, a different means, designated generally as 91 to agitate the material (in this case the material E), although this means 91 utilizes portions of the means 17, and means 92 to move measured volumes of material E to a discharge port and project it through this port, differing only in part from the means 18.

The false bottom 90 is best shown near the lower part of Fig. 10 and comprises a disc portion 95 having a central opening 96 to accommodate the collar 58, a bracket portion 97 extending downwardly from the periphery of the portion 95 (which portion has a diameter substantially like that of the hollow cylindrical member 55) from which projects, substantially horizontally, a small false bottom portion 98 carrying a tongue 99 like the tongue 44 for accommodation within the groove 30 so as to position the false bottom portion 98 directly above the discharge port 35 whereby the planes of the edges of this port intersect this false bottom portion.

The means 91 utilizes the hollow hemispherical or domed member 50 with its opening 51 and arms 52, but also includes a scraper element 100 shown in the upper portion of Fig. 10 for example, comprising a shaft encircling portion 101 having a polygonal opening 102 two horizontal arms 103 extending therefrom, substantially 180 apart and a downwardly-extending projection 164 from the outer end of each arm 103 with the projections somewhat V-shaped in transversesection. These projections 104 are disposed closely adjacent the outer wall 25 of the housing and provide scrapers and agitators. By this V-shaped cross section, each projection provides two blades disposed non-radially and non-tangentially with respect to the wall 25, well adapted to scrape and agitate the caked material E. The element 100 has an additional function as will be subsequently described.

As an additional portion of the means 91 there i s provided a split ring element 105, of strip metal, having upwardly-extending slotted projections 106 toreceive the arms 52. The slightly overlapping ends of the split ring element 105 provide additional scraping edges and the projections 104 of the element 100 extend along the inner face of the split ring element at locations substantially 180 apart, whereby they tend to hold this element 105 against collapsing. It will be appreciated that the upwardly-extending projections 106 which carry the free ends of the arms 52 also provide, bytheir edges, additional scrapers.

The means 92 to move measured volumes of material to a discharge port (i. e., the port 35) is preferably exactly like the means 18 plus a spring metal projection 110 carried by the false bottom portion 98 and extending downwardly from adjacentone end thereof and with its free end portion beneath that part of the portion 93 from which the tongue 99 projects. This free end bears against the upper faces of the arms 59 and is adapted to spring slightly into the spaces 61 as may be seen in Fig. 11 to aid in the discharge of the caked material E. It will be noted, in Fig. 11 that the ejected cake will not catch upon the edges of the port 35 as it is discharged.

The operation of the container-dispenser of form B is substantially like that of form A except for the additional agitating and scraping actions of the form B plus the aid given by the spring metal projection 110. As will be seen in Fig. 9 the small false bottom portion 98 is very close to the upper face of the arm 59.

In Figures 12 and 13 is illustrated a modification of means 20 and this modified means 115 calls for a housing like the housing 15 except that the outer face of upper end of the outer Wall 126 of the housing 125 carries spacedapart indicia 116 which may be like the indicia 79 and the closure 117 has a skirt portion 118 which is provided with spaced-apart finger end receiving openings 119 like and functioning as do the openings 82, since this skirt portion extends over the outer face of the upper end portion of the housing 125. In the case of the means 115 the hooked abutment 120 for the operators finger may be a part of the housing material and disposed as is clear in Figs. 12 and 13. The closure 117 has a downwardly opening central socketed portion 121 to receive the polygonal upper end of the shaft 65 and, without invention, a wedge shaped projection, like the projection may be employed but disposed spaced below the upper edge of the housing 125 so as to clear the skirt portion 118.

In connection with the employment of the pushers or arms 59 having their downwardly opening recesses 60, it has been discovered that, at times, material to be dispensed packs or accumulates under conventional pushers and tends to raise such conventional pushers above the surface they are intended to move upon. Any material which would be apt to find its way under the arms 59 travels to these recesses and is finally discharged and,

- hence, does not tend to raise the arms 59.

The interior structure of either form A or B is readily removable simply by spreading the spring clip 72 so that the lugs 71 move out of the recesses 70 and the clip may be separated from the shaft 65 which may now be slipped, with the elements carried thereby, out of the housing.

Preferably, the confronting side faces of the pushers or arms 59, in part defining the spaces 61, are slightly downwardly diverging so that the material D or E (and especially the material E) will more readily discharge.

Of course, the container-dispenser of form 13 may be used for loose (not caked) material as well as caked or tending to cake material.

In order to provide receiver means to receive dispensed material D or E, I prefer to employ the receptacle G, shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Preferably, this is a cup having side wall extending upwardly from a bottom 131 to define an upwardly-opening compartment 132. At the upper end of the wall 130 is an outwardly extending, circumferential horizontal lip 133 and projecting outwardly of this wall may be a handle 134.

The lip 133 together with a pair of horizontal lips 135 below the bottom wall 26 and extending toward the axis ofthe bottom wall, provide means to detachably secure the receptacle G to and beneath the housing. These lips 135 are carried by a bracket 136 depending from the bottom wall 26 and having a narrow shoulder 137 in the space between the two lips 135.

In order to provide some resistance against accidental separation of the receptacle G and the housing, I prefer to provide a slightly bowed resilient or springy metal member 133 carried by an arcuate bracket 139 extending along the upper face of the shoulder 137 and disposed as in Figure 1 which member 133 is adapted to resiliently grip the lip 133. The receptacle G additionally constitutes a closure or wall to shut out moisture, etc. since its lip 133 is in light frictional contact with the lips 135 and the lip 133 is tight against the bottom wall 26.

Various changes may be made to the forms of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptacle having a bottom wall provided with a discharge port, and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall; a false bottom within said receptacle, said false bottom having an area less than the area of said bottom wall, whereby a passageway is provided to said bottom wall; means securing said false bottom against rotation within said receptacle above said bottom wall and with said false bottom directly over said port; pusher means below said false bottom to push material to said discharge port, including a plurality of spaced apart radiallyextending pushers movable toward and away from said port and provided with downwardly-opening recesses, said false bottom including a downwardly-extending portion contacting one after another of said pushers as said pushers move under said downwardly extending portion; and operating means to cause operation of said pusher means.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which adjacent pushers have confronting faces and said faces are downwardly diverging.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said operating means includes a rotatable disc provided with a plurality of equally spaced-apart finger tip-receiving openings, arranged in a circle about the peripheral portion of said disc, said openings being disposed directly over and spaced from the spaces between adjacent pushers and a removable indicia-bearing member below said rotatable element and normally closing said receptacle, and with said indicia-bearing member provided with spaced-apart units of indicia, arranged with a unit below each of said openings exclusive of an area below one opening, and a finger stop carried by said indicia-bearing member and disposed in the path of travel of a finger with the tip Within any one of said openings and with said stop positioned closely outwardly of but closely adjacent said area, two of said pushers closing said discharge port when said one opening is above said area.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said operating means includes a rotatable disc provided with a plurality of equally spaced-apart finger tip-receiving openings, arranged in a circle about the peripheral portion of said disc, said openings being disposed directly over and spaced from the spaces between adjacent pushers and a removable indicia-bearing member below said rotatable element and normally closing said receptacle, and with said indicia-bearing member provided with spaced-apart units of indicia, arranged with a unit below each of said openings exclusive of an area below one opening, and a finger stop carried by said indicia-bearing member and disposed in the path of travel of a finger with the tip within any one of said openings and with said stop positioned closely outwardly of but closely adjacent said area, two of said pushers closing said discharge port when said one opening is above said area, and said stop including a portion overlaying a part of said rotatable element and disposed close thereto, whereby said stop will tend to prevent said rotatable element from becoming separated from said indicia-bearing member.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said operating means includes a rotatable disc provided with a plurality of equally spaced-apart finger tip-receiving openings, arranged in a circle about the peripheral portion of said disc, said openings being disposed directly over and spaced from the spaces between adjacent pushers, a centrally-disposed downwardly-opening socketed member, and a removable indicia-bearing member below said rotatable element and normally closing said receptacle, and with said iudicia-bearing member provided with a collar with said socketed member extending therethrough, and spaced-apart units of indicia, arranged with a unit below each of said openings exclusive of an area below one opening, and a finger stop is carried by said indicia-bearing member and disposed in the path of travel of a finger with the tip within any one of said openings and with said stop positioned outwardly of but closely adjacent said area, two of said pushers closing said discharge port when said one opening is above said area, said operating means including a shaft with an end thereof seating in said socketed member to rotate therewith, and said stop including a portion overlaying a part of said rotatable element and disposed close thereto, whereby said stop, socketed member and collar will prevent said rotatable element from becoming separated from said indiciabearing member.

6. In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptacle having a bottom wall provided with a discharge port and a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall; an operating shaft with said receptacle; a false bottom in said receptacle above said discharge port and provided with a discharge opening; means to agitate and scrape said material within said receptacle including a split ring having an upwardly-extending wall close to said side wall, and slotted projections extending above said upwardly extending wall, a scraper element rotatably carried by said shaft, including a pair of arms extending along portions of said side wall and against portions of the inner faces of said upwardly-extending wall of said split ring; agitator arms operatively connected with said shaft to rotate therewith and extending above said split ring with the outer end portions of said arms within the slots of said slotted projections, means to move a measured volume of material in said receptacle to said discharge port and under said false bottom, said means being rotatably connected with said shaft.

7. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said downwardly-extending portion is constructed and arranged for its lower edge to extend to the uppermost face of an adjacent pusher when the latter is beneath said downwardly-extending portion for rubbing engagement with said uppermost face, and said downwardly-extending portion is of springy material and tending to spring downwardly.

8. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said receptacle has a substantially cylindrical side wall provided with an upper edge defining an upwardly-opening mouth and also provided with indicia comprising a series of units of volume measurement on the outer face of the upper portion of said side wall, all of said indicia being equally spaced apart and equally spaced from said edge; said operating means includes a rotatable element having a skirt portion encircling said upper portion and provided with a series of equally spaced-apart finger tip receiving openings normally disposed to reveal said indicia, with one unit to an opening; and said operating means also including a finger abutment extending over a portion of said skirt and carried upon the outer face of said side wall.

9. A dispenser according to claim 6 in which said pair of arms are substantially V-shaped in transverse cross section with the V opening toward said side wall.

it). In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptacle for said material having a discharge port; combined means, including aplurality of narrow, hollow pushers within said receptacle, each pusher having a downwardly-opening recess, providing a removable closure for said port, to move a measured volume of said material to said port for discharge therethrough, and to receive material finding its way beneath said pusher; means operatively connected with said pushers for movement of said pushers toward and away from said discharge port, including a shaft; and combined closure and guide means providing both a closure for said receptacle and a guide for the manipulation of the second means to correctly measure said material for discharge, including a rotatable element rotatably connected with said shaft.

11. In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptacle for said material provided with an upwardly opening mouth, a substantially horizontal bottom wall and a false bottom less in area than the area of said bottom wall and fixedly secured to said receptacle and spaced above and substantially parallel with said bottom wall, with said bottom wall having a discharge port with the vertical plane of said discharge port intersecting said false bottom; combined means providing a removable closure for said port and to move a measured volume of said material to said port for discharge therethrough, including a movable pusher; means operatively connected with said pusher for selective movement of said pusher toward and away from said discharge port and beneath said false bottom including a shaft; and combined closure and guide means providing both a closure for the upwardly opening mouth of said receptacle and a guide for the manipulation of the second means to correctly measure said material for discharge, including a rotatable element rotatably connected with said shaft and disposed exteriorly of said receptacle at the upper end of said shaft and a closure member over said mouth.

12. A dispenser according to claim 11 in which said,

false bottom has a tongue and said receptacle has an elongated wall upstanding from said bottom wall, said elongated wall is provided with a longitudinal groove extending toward said bottom wall and slidably and snugly receiving said tongue and said combined closure and guide means includes a lug extending downwardly from 10 an edge portion of said closure member and into said groove.

13. A dispenser according to claim 11 in which said false bottom has a tongue with said tongue projecting outwardly of the periphery of said cylindrical member; said receptacle has an elongated wall upstanding from said bottom wall, said elongated wall is provided with a longitudinal groove extending toward said bottom wall and slidably and snugly receiving said tongue and said receptacle has a closure having a lug extending into said groove.

14. A dispenser according to claim 11 in which said false bottom has a tongue with said tongue projecting out wardly of the periphery of said cylindrical member; said receptacle has an elongated wall upstanding from said bottom wall, said elongated wall is provided with a longitudinal groove extending toward said bottom wall and slidably and snugly receiving said tongue, said groove also being open at its upper end, and said combined means includes a closure for said mouth and having a depending lug extending into the upper end of said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 480,146 Souder Aug. 2, 1892 624,204 Frank May 2, 1899 829,018 Kiefer Aug. 21, 1906 1,084,873 Addis Jan. 20, 1914 1,362,831 Altenberg Dec. 21, 1920 1,412,329 Altenberg Apr. 11, 1922 1,639,370 Flegel Aug. 16, 1927 2,027,938 Berg Mar. 9, 1937 2,164,333 Mann July 4, 1939 2,239,966 Johnson Apr. 29, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,409 France Sept. 25, 1923

Claims (2)

1. IN A DISPENSER FOR MATERIAL OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A RECEPTACLE HAVING A BOTTOM WALL PROVIDED WITH A DISHCARGE PORT, AND A WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM WALL; A FALSE BOTTOM WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID FALSE BOTTOM HAVING AN AREA LESS THAN THE AREA OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, WHEREBY A PASSAGEWAY IS PROVIDED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL; MEANS SECURING SAID FALSE BOTTOM AGAINST ROTATION WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL AND WITH SAID FALSE BOTTOM DIRECTLY OVER SAID PORT; PUSHER MEANS BELOW SAID FALSE BOTTOM TO PUSH MATERIAL TO SAID DISCHARGE PORT, INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART RADIALLYEXTENDING PUSHERS MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID PORT AND PROVIDED WITH DOWNWARDLY-OPENING RECESSES, SAID FALSE BOTTOM INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY-EXTENDING PORTION CONTACTING ONE AFTER ANOTHER OF SAID PUSHERS AS SAID PUSHERS MOVE UNDER SAID DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION; AND OPERATING MEANS TO CAUSE OPERATION OF SAID PUSHER MEANS.

3. A DISPENSER ACCORDING TO CLAIM 1 IN WHICH SAID OPERATING MEANS INCLUDES A ROTATABLE DISC PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF EQUALLY SPACED-APART FINGER TIP-RECEIVING OPENINGS, ARRANGED IN A CIRCLE ABOUT THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID DISC, SAID OPENINGS BEING DISPOSED DIRECTLY OVER AND SPACED FROM THE SPACES BETWEEN ADJACENT PUSHERS AND A REMOVABLE IDICIA-BEARING MEMBER BELOW SAID ROTATABLE ELEMENT AND NORMALLY CLOSING SAID RECEPTACLE, AND WITH SAID INDICIA-BEARING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH SPACED-APART UNITS OF INDICIA, ARRANGED WITH A UNIT BELOW EACH OF SAID OPENINGS EXCLUSIVE OF AN AREA BELOW ONE OPENING, AND A FINGER STOP CARRIED BY SAID INDICIA-BEARING MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF A FINGER WITH THE TIP WITHIN ANY ONE OF SAID OPENINGS AND WITH SAID STOP POSITIONED CLOSELY OUTWARDLY OF BUT CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID AREA, TWO OF SAID PUSHERS CLOSING SAID DISCHARGE PORT WHEN SAID ONE OPENING IS BOVE SAID AREA.

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