US3197072A

US3197072A - Dispensing device for collapsible tube

Info

Publication number: US3197072A
Application number: US333590A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ray A Dick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-12-26
Filing date: 1963-12-26
Publication date: 1965-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-07-27

Description

July '27, 1965 v R. A. DICK DISPENSING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed bee. 26, 1963 20 l6 l6 l7 I NVEN TOR. (A Y A. fi/aK BY WM Awe/vars.

United States Patent DISPENSING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Ray A. Dick, 3849 Annadale Lane, Sacramento 21, Calif.

Filed Dec. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,590 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-102) This invention relates to a dispensing device for collap sible tubes, and has as its primary object the provision of means whereby the contents of a collapsible tube may be dispensed smoothly and uniformly in substantially predetermined units without waste, and Without twisting or bending the tube.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be readily adapted to the dispensing of tooth paste, shaving cream, and similar ingredients normally contained in collapsible tubes, which will serve to conceal the tube, which will dispense the contents evenly and smoothly, which will be ornamental in appearance, and which will be sturdy and durable in construction, and reliable and elficient in operation.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of dispenser embodying the instant inventive concept shown in association with a collapsible tube.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the device of the instant invention comprises a casing which is generally indicated at 10, which is comprised of two complementary half sections 11 and 12. Each section includes an

end wall

13 and 14, respectively, and a pair of

side walls

15 and 16, respectively. The side walls at their extremities are provided with inwardly extending

ridges

17 and 18, respectively, which are in turn provided with interconnected rib fittings so that the device may be snap fitted in related assembly, such fittings being indicated at 20. Each section also includes a top wall 21 and 22, respectively, which is provided at its outer edge with a rib 23 and 24, respectively, the confronting faces of the ribs being provided with interlocking elements 25.

Each

side wall

15 and 16 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove or

channel

26 and 27, respectively on its inner side, the grooves being parallel, and the grooves on walls 16 being aligned, as are the grooves on walls 15. Each pair of grooves is adapted to receive the end of an

axle

28 and 29, respectively, each axle having fixed thereto for rotation therewith a ribbed or

corrugated roller

30 and 31, respectively, the ribs or corrugations of the rollers interengaging with each other, as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 on opposite sides of a collapsible tube T, so that as the rollers are moved downwardly, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, the contents of the tube T will be ejected from its nozzle N which extends through the open bottom 0 of the casing as shown in FIGURE 1.

3,197,072 Patented July 27, 1965 Each

axle

28 and 29 carries at each end a

gear

32 and 33, which gears intermesh, as best shown in FIG- URE 3 adjacent the side walls of the casing and spaced outwardly from the sides of the tube T. Each axle also carries a

pinion

34 and 35 adjacent its ends, which pinions are engaged with

teeth

36 and 37 forming rack on the inner sides of

ribs

17 and 18, respectively. Thus, rotating movement of either roller will be imparted to the other roller through the

gears

32 and 33, and corresponding downward movement will be imparted to the roller assembly through the

teeth

36 and 37 of the associated rack. 7

One of the rollers, illustratively, roller 30 is provided with a. central annular groove 40, within which is seateda ratchet wheel 42, fixed to the axle and to the roller so that the latter are rotated as the ratchet wheel is moved. Means for moving the ratchet takes the form of a pawl 43 which comprises the lower arm of a yoke 44, the upper arm of which is relatively flat as shown at 45, and which extends over the roller 30 and its associated groove 45. Yoke 44 is integrally aflixed to a plunger 46 which extends outwardly through a slot 47 in the end wall 13 of casing section 11, and which carries exterior of the slot a head 48. A first spring 49 is interposed between the side wall 13 and the head 48, and a second spring 50 is interposed between the yoke 44 in the inside of the wall 13 of the casing.

From the foregoing the use and operation of the device should now be readily understandable. The casing may be separated, initially, and the

axles

28 and 29 and their associated rollers moved to the top of

slots

26 and 27, the end of a tube inserted or positioned on one roller, and the casing reassembled. When the cap is removed, and the plunger 48 is pressed inwardly against the bias of spring 49, the pawl 43 engages one of the ratchet teeth of ratchet wheel 42 to advance the same in partial rotation. This in turn rotates the associated axle 28 and the gears 32 in pinion 34. Gears 32 through their engagement with gears 33 rotate roller 31 simultaneously along with the pinion 35. The engagement of

pinions

34 and 35 with their associated

rack teeth

36 and 37 move the rollers downwardly in the casing a proportional distance. Release of the plunger head 48 releases plunger 46, whereupon the spring 49 moves the device to inoperative position. The broadened arm 45 of yoke 44 returns the assembly to position for operation upon the next pressure of plunger head 48.

In refilling the device if an upward pressure is exerted on the plunger 46 the springs are compressed and the pinion is moved to a position to clear the ratchet wheel so that the associated axle and roller may then be readily moved toward the top of the container.

The container may be employed either in a horizontal or vertical position as is most advantageous.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved dispenser for the contents of collapsible tubes which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, itis to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device for collapsible tubes comprising a two-part casing having an open bottom, said casing comprising two complementary half sections each making a top, side, and end walls, said side walls having inwardly extending longitudinal ribs, means on the marginal edges of said half sections for releasably interlocking the same,

3 teeth on the inner edge of each rib confronting the adjacent side walls and forming a pair of oppositely extending longitudinal racks on each side of said casing, elongated grooves in each side wall of each section parallel to said ribs, an axle extending transversely across each section having its extremities seated in said grooves, a ribbed roller on each axle,reach roller being adapted to engage an opposite side of a collapsible tooth, 'a gear adjacent each end of each axle, each gear being in mesh with its corresponding gear on the opposite axle, a pinion at each end of each axle, each pinion engaging an, adjacent rack, a longitudinal slot in one end wall, a plunger extending through said slot, means engaging said plunger with the adjacent roller to rotate the same to causesaid adjacent roller to move downwardly in said casing through engagement of the pinions carried by its axle with the adjacent racks, and simultaneously to cause the other roller to move downwardly through the engagement of said meshing gears.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said adjacent roller is provided with an annular groove having a ratchet wheel therein surrounding its axle, and said plunger includes a pawl which upon engaging said ratchet rotates said adjacent rollers.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said plunger is provided with a yoke at its end adjacent said ratchet, one

arm of said yoke being of a width in excess of that of said annular groove and resting on the surface of said roller,

,the other arm of said yoke extending into said groove and References Cited by the Examiner UNITED TATES PATENTS 1,435,622 11/22 Price 222-102 X LOUIS I. DE-MBO, Primary Examiner.

axl-tt

Claims

1. A DISPENSING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES COMPRISING A TWO-PART CASING HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM, SAID CASING COMPRISING TWO COMPLEMENTARY HALF SECTIONS EACH MAKING A TOP, SIDE, AND END WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING INWARDLY EXTENDING LONGITUDINAL RIBS, MEANS ON THE MARGINAL EDGES OF SAID HALF SECTIONS FOR RELEASABLY INTERLOCKING THE SAME, TEETH ON THE INER EDGE OF EACH RIB CONFRONTING THE ADJACENT SIDE WALLS AND FORMING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY EXTENDING LONGITUDINAL RACKS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID CASING, ELONGATED GROOVES IN EACH SIDE WALL OF EACH SECTION PARALLEL TO SAID RIBS, AN AXLE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS EACH SECTION HAVING ITS EXTREMITIES SEATEDIN SAID GROOVES, A RIBBED ROLLER ON EACH AXLE, EACH ROLLER BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN OPPOSITE SIDE OF A COLLAPSIBLE TOOTH, A GEAR ADJACENT EACH END OF EACH AXLE, EACH GEAR BEING IN MESH WITH ITS CORRESPONDING GEAR ON THE OPPOSITE AXLE, A PINION AT EACH END OF EACH AXLE, EACH PINION ENGAGING AN ADJACENT RACK, A LONGITUDINAL SLOT IN ONE END WALL, A PLUNGER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT, MEANS ENGAGING SAID PLUNGER WITH THE ADJACENT ROLLER TO ROTATE THE SAME TO CAUSE SAID ADJACENT ROLLER TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY IN SAID CASING THROUGH ENGAGEMENT OF THE PINIONS CARRIED BY ITS AXLE WITH THE ADJACENT RACKS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO CAUSE THE OTHER ROLLER TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID MESHING GEARS.