US3007607A

US3007607A - Cone shaped paper cup dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3007607A
Application number: US752762A
Authority: US
Inventors: Doux Herbert Le
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-08-04
Filing date: 1958-08-04
Publication date: 1961-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-07

Description

. 1951 H. LE DOUX 3,007,607

CONE SHAPED PAPER CUP DISPENSER Filed Aug. 4, 1958 INVENTOR.

r l HERBERT LEDOUX 5 15' I :5 8

ATTOk/VEY United States Patent 3,007,607 CONE SHAPED PAPER CUP DISPENSER Herbert Le Doux, 136 Seaman Ave, New York, NY. Filed Aug. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 752,762 1 Claim. (Cl. 221-303) This invention relates to dispensers and, more particularly, to a paper cup dispenser.

While various types of dispensers have been provided for dispensing cone shaped paper cups, it is usually dinicult to remove single cups therefrom since there is a tendency for such cups to cling together thus resulting in wasted motion, soiled cups, and the like. In addition, because of the spring action of most of these dispensers, there is a tendency for the stack of cups to protrude out of the upper open end of the dispenser more than is actually required. Accordingly, it is an object of the pres ent invention to provide a cone shaped paper cup dispenser that is extremely simple in construction, efiicient in operation, and which will overcome the aforementioned difficulties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper cup dispenser that has self contained restraining means for automatically limiting the upward movement of the stack of cups in the dispenser and which automatically prevents more than one such cup from being removed at a time.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cone shaped paper cup dispenser of the type described that is extremely compact, attractive in appearance, and which can be manufactured and distributed in large quantities at a relatively low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the device shown in FIGURE 1, in operative use;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a cup platform forming a part of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a base member forming another part of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, with parts removed, of certain parts of the dispenser;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the restraining means forming a part of the present invention in an initial position relative to a stack of cups nested within the dispenser;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7, showing the parts in a first adjusted position;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8, showing the restraining means in actual use immediately following the removal of the uppermost cup;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a bracket forming still another part of the present invention;

FIGURE 11 is a rear elevational view of the bracket shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 12-42 of FIGURE ll; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of certain other parts of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, a cone shaped paper cup dispenser unit 15 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a cylindrical tube 16 that is mounted at one lower end upon an upper extension 18 of a rigid base '20 which may be constructed of heavy hard wood, metal, or other weighted material to dispenser made aster Patented Nov. 7, 1961 ICC provide maximum stability and secured thereto by two screws 23. A compression coil spring 24 is supported within the tube 16 upon the base 20 which, in turn, supports a cup platform 22 having angularly upwardly and outwardly struck positioning tabs 26 which center a stack 28 of nested inverted conical cups 30 there-on. Each of these cups 30 has a beaded lip 31 which conventionally serves to rigidity the shape of the cup and to provide a smooth edge for contact with the mouth.

A pair of brackets 32 are secured, such as by rivets '34 extending through provided openings 36, to diametrically opposite sides of the upper end of the tube 16 which is also provided with openings 33 for receiving the rivets 34-, such openings being on opposite sides of each of a pair of diametrically opposite longitudinal slots 4t) that are immediately adjacent to the upper and outwardly flared extension 46 through which the cups pass in actual use. A pivot shaft 42 carried by each such bracket 32 rotatably supports a V-shaped pawl 44 that projects into the interior of the tube 16 through the slots 46, and into the path of movement of the stack 28 of nested cups.

The operation of the device may be readily understood. When a stack 28 of nested cups is placed within the tube 16, in the manner shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the associated elements assume the position illustrated. In this position, the lower one of the fingers of each V-shaped pawl 44 overlies and resists upward movement of the upper one of the cups 30 because of the engagement of this lower finger with the peripheral bead 31 of the uppermost cup. Upward pivotal movement of these pawls 44 is prevented by the engagement of the upper one of the fingers with the top of the slot 40. However, as soon as a downward pressure is exerted upon the stack of cups 28, such as by the application of a holder or a hand against the top of the stack, the pawls 44 will drop by gravity to the position shown in FIGURE 8 so that a quick upward pull upon the uppermost cup 30 will bring the lip 31 into engagement with the upper one of the fingers of the pawl 44 which will allow this cup to pass. This upward movement of the cup 3% is at a greater velocity than the upward movement of the lowered stack 28 under the action of the compression spring 24. As a result, the upward movement of the stack 28 is subsequent to the outward movement of the uppermost cup 30 which returns the pawl 44 to the initial position illustrated in FIGURES 2, 7, and 9. At approximately the same time that the pawl 44 assumes its initial position, the stack 28 will have risen into the initial position, in which position the lower finger of the pawl 44 will again abut the uppermost lip 31 of the uppermost cup 30 in the stack, thus preventing outward movement of the stack or the next cup carried by the stack. These pawls then act as restraining means limiting the upward movement of the stack 28 until the next cup is removed.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In a paper cup dispenser having a substantially upright cylindrical tube for containing a stack of paper cups each having a peripheral head, the combination of a supporting base connected to and closing one end of the tube, the base being surmounted by a compressible coil spring within the tube, a cup platform including a diskshaped plate vertically reciprocable within said tube above the spring and loading the latter, a plurality of distinct and separate upstanding cup centering tabs struck upwardly from the plate within the peripheral edge thereof, said plate having a cylindrical apron depending from 4 releasable therefrom in ment of References Cited in the file of this patent