US2803378A

US2803378A - Dispenser for tongue depressors

Info

Publication number: US2803378A
Application number: US290751A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cyril A Gundling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-05-29
Filing date: 1952-05-29
Publication date: 1957-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1974-08-20

Description

iolnited States Pater me 2,803,378

DSPENSER FOR TONGUE DEPRESSRS Cyril A. Gundling, Windsor, Conn.

Application May 29, 1952, Serial No. 296,751

2 Claims. (Cl. 221-232) This invention relates to a dispenser for tongue depressors and more particularly to a dispenser that is adapted for use by the medical profession for containing and dispensing conventional tongue depressors which are in the form of an elongated strip of wood or other suitable material.

lt is an object of this invention to provide such a dispenser which is sanitary, easily operated and which may be readily refilled.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel construction for such dispensers which will render the device highly eicient in its operation and economical to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective side view of a dispenser embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said dispenser partly in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is a front view of said dispenser with the cover thereof being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a sectional end view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective front view showing the dispenser with `the cover removed and illustrating the dispensing operation thereof.

Fig. 6 is a perspective side view of the ejector bar used in said dispenser.

in the embodiment shown in the drawings, my improved dispenser preferably comprises a container unit 5 and a detachable cover 6, both of which are adapted to be formed of a plastic material, by molding or otherwise.

'The container unit 5 includes a base portion 7 which forms a wall of the dispenser and has a bottom supporting wall 8, an upper retaining wall 9 and an end wall lil, each of which extends perpendicularly from the base 7 and may be molded integrally therewith.

An ejector bar 11 is slidable against the bottom side of the wall 9 and has an operating handle 12, which slidably projects through a slot 13 in the cover 6, and an ejector finger 14 which normally rests within a notch 15 in the wall 10.

The said ejector bar may be normally urged in one direction by means of a spring 16 which is anchored between a post 17 on the wall 9 and a post 18 that is carried on the said ejector bar and slides in a notch 19 in the edge of the retaining wall 9.

Vin the embodiment shown, the said spring 16 is anchored to normally urge the ejector bar into a retracted position. If desired, the spring may be anchored between the said post 1S and a post 20 at the other end of the wall 9 so that the ejector bar may be normally urged towards its ejecting position.

A follower spring 21 is mounted upon the lower supporting wall 8 and is preferably retained in position thereon by means of a hook 22 which ts within an elongated recess 23 that is provided in the end wall 10.

A pile of tongue depressors, indicated at 24, may be Patented Aug. 20, 1957 loaded into the dispenser by iirst detaching the cover and then merely forcing the spring 21 downwardly and inserting the said depressors between the spring and the bottom of the ejector .bar 11, into the position shown in Fig. 3. The cover 6 may then be attached over the container unit and it will be retained on the said unit by engagement with the outer surfaces at the bottom of the wall 8, the end wall 1t) and the tops of bosses 2525 and 26 which are provided upon the upper surface of the retaining wall 9 #to engage the wall of the cover and separate it from the retaining wall to provide a space between the top of said retaining wall and the cover for containing the spring 16.

A tongue depressor may be dispensed from my improved dispenser by merely engaging the handle 12 with the thumb and sliding said button towards the end of the of the dispenser; whereupon the top depressor will be ejected through the dispensing opening 27, that is provided in the end wall of the cover, into the position shown in Fig. 5. The end of the depressor may then be grasped with the ngers and pulled out of the dispenser to complete the dispensing operation.

It will be noted that the slot 13 is directly over the edges of the wall 9 and the bar 11, so that the said edges serve to completely close the said slot, against the passage of dirt or other matter into the interior of the dispenser, and protect the tongue depressors to keep them in sanitary condition.

if it should be desired to have the dispenser operate automatically in the ejection of a depressor, the spring 16 is merely anchored upon the pin 2i) and an ejection operation may then be performed by merely pulling the handle 12 inwardly and releasing it and permitting the spring to eject the depressor.

I claim:

l. A dispenser including a container unit and a cover therefor, the said container unit comprising a base forming a side wall of the dispenser and having integrally therewith and extending perpendicularly therefrom a supporting wall running along an edge of said base, a retaining wall parallel to said supporting wall and spaced therefrom, an end wall between said supporting and retaining walls, the said end wall having a notch therein adjacent the retaining wall, an ejector bar slidable against the inner surface of the retaining wall and having an ejector finger normally disposed in said notch in the end wall, an operating projection on said bar extending through a slot in the cover and slidable there-in, and a follower spring resting upon the supporting wall for urging elongated fiat striplike members against the inner face of said ejector bar and in alignment with a slot in the end wall of the cover; the said spring having a hook portion and the end wall having a recess therein adjacent to the supporting wall for receiving the said hook portion to thereby anchor said spring upon the supporting wall.

2. A dispenser comprising a container unit including a base having extending perpendicularly therefrom a supporting `vvall, a retaining wall parallel to the supporting wall and spaced therefrom, an end wall between said supporting and retaining walls, an ejector bar slidable against the inner face of the retaining wall, an operating handle extending from said ejector bar, a spring resting upon the supporting wall, the said container unit being adapted to receive a pile of strip-like members between the said spring and the inner face of the ejector bar, an ejector linger on said bar, a post on said ejector bar extending through a notch in the retaining wall, an anchoring post upon the retaining wall for anchoring a spring member connected to the post on the ejector bar to normally urge said bar towards one direction, bosses upon the outer face of the retaining wall, a cover tting over said container unit and retained thereon by engagement with the outer surfaces of the said supporting Wall, end Wall and retaining wall bosses, the said cover having an opening therein to slidably receive the operating handle on the ejector bar, and a separate opening in alignment with the topmost strip-like member in said pile to permitthe ejection of said member through said separate opening.

Y References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Talbot May 31, 1921 Moeller Mar. 7, 1922 Haberer Dec. 31, 1929 Marcuse June 13, 1933 McCoon lune 26, 1934 Sinclair Oct. 20, 1936 Fuselier June 7, 1938 Katz July 22, 1941 Roberts Dec. 1, 1942 Drexel May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 16, 1906 Denmark Dec. 4, 1929