US3211327A

US3211327A - Cigarette dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3211327A
Application number: US277328A
Authority: US
Inventors: Beha Walter; Bender Wilhelm
Original assignee: Schoeller and Co Elektrotecnische Fabrik GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Schoeller and Co Elektrotecnische Fabrik GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1962-05-05
Filing date: 1963-05-01
Publication date: 1965-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-12
Also published as: GB975551A; DE1172068B

Description

Oct. 12, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL CIGARETTE DISPENSER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1963 Fig.3

In ventors War/re @EHA and M/lL/IELM 6F 05? Oct. 12, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL 3,211,327

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor;

warn? 65/ 2 14 W/ma M EPA/0:7? 5% 21 M, J2

Oct. 12, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL 3,211,327

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 In ventors W/u r02 Bi/M M4 Wan/n Kin 0E1? Oct. 12, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL 3,211,327

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 1, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 8

In ventor:

477arnzy;

Oct. 12, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL CIGARETTE DISPENSER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 1, 1965 Fig. 10

Fig. 11

4777/71 dl/J Oct. 12, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL 3,211,327

' CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIGIB INVENTORS ML TER BE'HA BY W/L HEL M BENDER fii-me M A T TORNEY$ United States Patent 3,211,327 CIGARETTE DISEENSER Walter Bella and Wilhelm Bender, Frankfurt am Main,

Germany, assignors to Schoeller & Co. Elelrtrotechnische Fabrik, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed May 1, 1963, Ser. No. 277,328 Claims priority, application Germany, May 5, 1962, Sch 31,435; May 11, 1962, Sch 31,458; May 14, 1962, Sch 31,469, Sch 31,470

18 Claims. (Cl. 221-45) This invention generally relates to dispensing apparatus and is particularly directed to a cigarette dispenser of the kind wherein a supply of cigarettes is accommodated in a magazine and wherein, upon actuation of an actuating means, such as a push button, a cigarette of the supply is automatically transported by a conveying mechanism past a lighting means and is thereafter partially ejected in lighted condition through a dispensing opening from which the cigarette is removed by the hand of the user.

A cigarette dispenser having the general characteristics described above is disclosed in US. Patent 2,936,930 of May 17, 1960 (hereinafter referred to as the patent) to which particular reference is had. While the invention, as hereinafter described, is applicable to other kinds of cigarette dispensers of the nature indicated, the invention will be described with particular reference to the cigarette dispenser structure as disclosed and claimed in the patent.

In the patent and in other dispensers of the general nature referred to, the cigarette drops, upon actuation of the dispenser, from the magazine into an open holding claw which forms part of the conveying mechanism and is movably guided in a trough extending between the lighting means of the dispenser and the dispensing opening arranged in the front panel of the casing of the dispenser. After the claw has clamped or gripped the cigarette received from the magazine, the driving mechanism of the dispenser moves the claw with the cigarette clamped therein along the trough and toward the lighting means where the cigarette is lighted. The direction of movement of the claw is reversed upon lighting and the claw therefore moves in the opposite direction toward the dispensing opening. Upon completion of the return movement of the claw, the tip of the lighted cigarette projects through the dispensing opening so that the cigarette can be removed by the user. It will be realized that the claw and the trough are subjected to soiling by tar, deposited smoke and tobacco and ash remnants requiring cleaning of this portion of the dispenser from time to time. In the prior art constructions, including the construction disclosed in the patent, the trough and claw structure is permanently afiixed and secured to the dispenser and forms an integral part thereof. With a view to cleaning the trough and the claw, the casing of the prior art dispensers had to be opened and the entire dispenser had to be removed in order to be able to gain access to the trough and claw to be cleaned. This evidently is disadvantageous, particularly since the cleaning of the cigarette dispensers is customarily effected by the users, who usually have no technical skill and thus may cause damage to the mechanism.

According to one aspect of this invention, it is therefore an object to provide a cigarette dispenser of the kind referred to wherein the above-described disadvantage is overcome by constructing the trough and claw structure as a removable unit which can be easily detached from and attached to the dispenser proper without requiring expert skill.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette dispenser structure, wherein a removable trough and claw structure is provided which can be detached from and attached to the dispenser without requiring any tools such as screw drivers, wrenches, pliers and the like.

'ice

As previously mentioned, the cigarette, after having been lighted and moved by the claw from the lighting means toward the dispensing opening, partially projects through the dispensing opening from Where it is taken by the user. The claw holds the cigarette in this position with very slight spring pressure only in order not to damage the cigarette and to facilitate easy removal of the cigarette from the claw. It will be realized that the user, intending to pull the lighted cigarette at its protruding tip from the dispenser, may inadvertently push the cigarette back into the dispenser, i.e. to a location where the cigarette including its tip lies completely within the confines of the trough. As cigarette dispensers with which the invention is concerned are oftentimes used in moving vehicles such as motors cars, a sudden jolting of the vehicle at the time the cigarette is intended to be pulled out from the dispenser may easily cause such inadvertent pushing back of the cigarette. Once the cigarette has been pushed back into the dispenser, it is extremely ditficult to remove the cigarette therefrom without disassembling the dispenser or without using extraneous tools which in turn may damage the mechanism. As the cigarette at the time of such inadvertent return into the dispenser interior is lighted, the smoke and ash and tobacco remnants tend to cause extreme soiling.

Therefore, and in accordance with a second aspect of this invention, it is an object to provide retrieving means for facilitating the removal, from the trough-claw structure, of cigarette which have inadvertently been pushed back from the dispensing opening into the interior of the dispenser. These retrieving means preferably consist of a rod which is movably guided parallel and adjacent to the trough. The end of the rod which is located within the dispenser is fitted with a cross arm or hook while the opposite end projects through the front panel of the dis penser and terminates in a knob or the like for easy manipulation of the rod. The rod is spring biased and when a cigarette has to be retrieved from the trough, the rod member is drawn out against the force of the spring after it has been manipulated so that the cross arm or hook bears against the lighted end of the cigarette.

It has previously been explained that the cigarette which is released from the magazine initially drops into a claw which is movably guided in a trough. The claw, in the prior art constructions including the patent, comprises upper and lower cooperating jaw members. The upper jaw member is pivotally movable and spring biased toward the lower one which rests on the trough. When the cigarette is released from the storage magazine and drops into the claw, the upper jaw member is pivoted or rocked away from the lower jaw member and held in such position to define an opening or entry passage into which the cigarette can drop. Once the cigarette has been positioned on the lower jaw member and in the trough, the upper jaw member is released and urged by the spring into its engagement with the lower jaw member to slightly clamp the cigarette and hold it in position. As previously set forth, the clamping action of the claw is, however, very slight in order to prevent damage to the cigarette and to facilitate removal of the cigarette from the claw when the cigarette is pulled by its tip. The cigarette is clamped by the claw at the time the cigarette is lighted by the lighting means of the dispenser and is thereafter again retracted for movement toward the dispensing opening. The lighting means in the prior art dispensers, including the patent, consist of a red-hot surface which is formed by an electrically heated, e.g. spirally wound wire. Experience has established that there exists a tendency of the lighted end of the cigarette to adhere to the red-hot surface of the wire. This adhesion force is sometimes greater than the clamping force exerted by the jaw members of the claw on the cigarette. If this occurs, the cigarette cannot be moved back by the claw, but the lighted end of the cigarette will stick to the surface of the lighting means. It has been suggested to overcome this drawback by increasing the clamping force of the claw on the cigarette. However, if this is done, then upon removal of the cigarette from the dispensing opening, the lighted end of the cigarette may readily be torn off by the jaw members as during such removal this lighted end moves past and through the claw. Further, a permanent increase in the clamping action would, of course, increase the friction between the cigarette and the claw and thus the cigarette paper may be torn. According to another suggestion, it has been proposed to increase the holding force between the cigarette and the claw by providing the interior surfaces of the jaw members with roughened portions. This proposal, however, has not met with success as these rough portions tend rapidly to become clogged with ash and smoke deposits.

The invention aims at overcoming this drawback in the prior art cigarette dispenser and, accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide means for temporarily increasing the clamping action of the claw on the cigarette, said means becoming operative at the time when the lighted cigarette is to be retracted by the claw from the surface of the lighting means for movement toward the dispensing opening.

These means, according to a preferred embodiment, comprise a spring loaded lever which is movable between an operative position in which the lever bears on the claw to increase the clamping action on the cigarette and an inoperative position wherein the lever is moved out of engagement with the claw.

In the prior art dispenser devices, including one of the embodiments of the patent referred to, the conveying mechanism for conveying the cigarette from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening is actuated by means of a pusher rod which is operated from the front panel of the casing. At the same time, force storage means in the form of springs are tensioned or loaded and the timing of the conveying mechanism is controlled by means of an auxiliary control rod which moves together with the pusher rod due to connection through one of the force storage means or spring. The pusher rod, in turn, during its forward movement, causes movement of a control rod member which extends parallel to the pusher rod. The control rod member, during its return movement, switches in and switches ofi the heating current for the igniting means. The control rod member, by releasing the pusher rod at a predetermined instant, initiates the return movement of the pusher rod and of the auxiliary control rod. Both the forward and the return movements of the auxiliary control rod are delayed by means of a braking cylinder-piston arrangement which is mounted at the rear wall of the casing. The piston rod of this piston forms the extension of the auxiliary control rod which is indicated by reference numeral 101 in the patent. Due to this arrangement, the speeds with which the cigarette is conveyed to the lighting means and after lighting toward the dispensing opening, are substantially equal. Experience has shown that this equal speed of the cigarette during its movement to the lighting means and from the lighting means toward the dispensing opening is disadvantageous. The reason for this is that the movement of the claw with the cigarette clamped therein toward the lighting means take place too rapidly so that the cigarette is not always properly gripped or clamped by the claw, particularly if cigarettes of varying diameter are used. However, if the forward movement of the claw toward the lighting means would be delayed, the return movement of the claw, that is, the movement of the lighted cigarette toward the dispensing opening, would, in turn, be too slow.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide means for imparting the auxiliary control rod with a speed during its forward movement which is slower than the speed during its return movement. This is accomplished by providing separate braking means of different braking power which act on the auxiliary control rod at predetermined times.

Referring specifically to the dispenser construction of the patent, the inventive aim may be realized by eliminating the braking cylinder with its piston and to accomplish the braking of the advancing auxiliary control rod and thus of the movement of holding claw toward the lighting means by the air or eddy current brake which is anyway present in the dispenser. In the patent this air brake caused merely braking of the control member during its return movement. During the advance of the control rod member the action of the air brake was, however, eliminated.

It has also been found to be advantageous to replace the air braking means by a retarding mechanism such as is known from watch constructions. However, if the braking cylinder, as provided in the patent, is eliminated, the return of the auxiliary control rod and thus of the holding claw with the lighted cigarette toward the dispensing opening has to be controlled and retarded as otherwise the cigarette may be completely ejected through the dispensing opening by the force of the motion. For this reason, the force storage means or spring which causes the return of the pusher rod and thus of the auxiliary control rod into their starting positions, is surrounded with a bellows having a small vent for the purpose of pressure or air compensation. This vent prolongs the release time of the spring to such an extent that forceful ejection of the cigarette through the dispensing opening is prevented.

To control the movement of the holding claw as hereinabove described requires, however, additional changes in the construction of the dispenser of the patent. In the last embodiment described in the patent, the control rod member is taken or moved along in its advance movement by means of a pin which engages a pawl mounted on the pusher rod. In its extreme forward position the control rod member is at the same time released from its engagement with the pusher rod. The control rod member then initiates its return movement and switches in and switches off the heating current for the lighting means. Due to the inventive, more delayed movement of the auxiliary control rod and thus of the holding claw controlled thereby, the cigarette reaches the lighting means at a later time. Accordingly, in order to compensate for this change in timing, the follower pawl for advancing the control rod member forward is not pivotally mounted on the pusher rod as in the previous construction, but is instead rotatably arranged on the auxiliary control rod. In this manner a correct sequential timing with regard to the time when the cigarette reaches the lighting means and the switching in of the heating current is obtained.

The delay of the advance movement of the auxiliary control rod has the further consequence that, presuming that the construction in the previous patent is otherwise retained, the pusher rod is no longer arrested at the termination of its advance movement. This is so because in the previous construction the control rod member has at its rear end a release member or plate which serves the purpose, during return movement of the control rod member, to move on a slanted or oblique edge of the arresting pawl which locks the pusher rod at the rear bearing. In doing so, the pusher rod is released and the return movement of the pusher rod is initiated. Due to the delayed advance movement of the control rod member which in the improved construction is coupled with the auxiliary control rod, the release plate does not timely reach the mentioned location. Consequently, arresting the pusher rod does not take place. In the improved construction, the release plate is consequently eliminated so as to accomplish arresting or latching of the pusher rod by the locking pawl at the rearward bearing and to accomplish release thereof in a different manner. This is accomplished by an electromagnetic release device which is also controlled by the control member. The armature of the electromagnet bears upon excitation against the locking pawl whereby release of the pusher rod takes place. In the event that the circuit of the electromagnet should not properly operate, an emergency release is provided which is manually operable. By means of a button or knob arranged at the front panel of the casing, a spring loaded rod is' moved against the armature of the magnet and in this manner the armature is pushed against the locking pawl to cause release of the pusher rod.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of a cigarette dispenser with the trough and claw structure removed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a perspective elevation of the trough and claw structure to be attached to the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the dispenser with the trough and claw structure in attached position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the dispenser illustrating the trough and claw structure and the means for retrieving a cigarette from the dispenser after the cigarette has inadvertently been pushed back thereinto;

FIG. 5 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatical representation of the means for temporarily increasing the clamping action of the claw at the time the cigarette is retracted from the lighting means;

FIG. 7 shows an actual embodiment of the structure diagrammatically shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a representation of the means for causing different speeds of the auxiliary control rod during advance and return movement, respectively;

FIG. 9 shows the center portion of FIG. 8 with some of the elements removed;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the manually operable emergency release of the pusher rod;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of part of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10;

FIG. 12 is a side View of the dispenser illustrating a modification of the retrieving means shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 13, is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 12.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the cigarette dispenser generally indicated by reference numeral 106, comprises a casing 10 having a front panel 2, a side panel 3 and a top panel 12. The top panel 12 defines an opening 14 which communicates with the cigarette storage magazine in the interior of the dispenser. The dispenser 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is generally of the construction disclosed in US. Patent 2,936,930 and for this reason only those parts have been shown in the drawings which are necessary for understanding the invention and for appreciating the differences between the structure of the previous patent and the present invention. The operation of the dispenser is initiated by pushing the push botton 98 toward and into the opening 96 in the front panel 2, whereby the driving or conveying mechanism of the dispenser is actuated in the manner explained in the patent. One of several cigarettes which are positioned in the magazine of the dispenser is thus dropped into the trough-claw construction generally referred to by reference numeral 95 (FIG. 2). As in the previous patent, structure 95 comprises a trough 28 defining a longitudinally extending slot 27. A claw 4 is movably guided in the slot 27. The claw comprises an upper jaw member 4a which normally is in engagement with the lower jaw member 26. The upper jaw member 4a is spring biased against the lower jaw member 26 by means of the spring 92 and is capable of pivotal movement about a shaft 93. Thus, the upper jaw member 4a may be rocked into a position away from the lower jaw member 26. The lower jaw member 26 has a downwardly extending pin 26a which projects through the slot 27 into engagement with the driving mechanism of the dispenser as explained in the previous patent. As in the previous patent, the claw 4 after having clamped the cigarette, is moved in the direction of arrow A, FIG. 5, for lighting of the cigarette by the lighting means 5 and then in the direction of arrow B toward the dispensing opening 91 provided in the front panel 2 of the dispenser. Up to this point the structure hereinbefore described is the same as that disclosed in the previous patent. In accordance with the invention, the side panel 3 of the casing 10 of the dispenser is, however, provided with a cutout or opening 60 for gaining access to the interior of the dispenser. This cutout 60 may, if desired, be closed by a hinged lid or the like. The front panel 2 of the casing is cut to form a slot 61 while a similar slot 62 is cut on the same level in a panel 89 which extends parallel to front panel 2. The ends of the trough 28 are bent downwardly and outwardly to form ledge or guide

portions

63 and 64 as indicated in FIG. 2. The dimensions of the structure 95 are such that when the trough-claw structure 95 is to be inserted into the dispenser, the

ledge portions

63 and 64 will be aligned with the

slots

61 and 62, respectively, so that by simply pushing the structure 9'5 inwardly the trough and claw are securely asembled within the dispenser as indicated in FIG. 3. In the reverse, if the trough and claw are to be removed from the dispenser for cleaning purposes, the structure 95 is merely pulled out to disengage the

ledges

63, 64 from the slots. A handle 38 is provided on the trough 6 in order to facilitate the manipulation.

It will be noted that the

slots

61 and 62 are enlarged at their open ends in V-shaped manner as indicated at 85 and 84, respectively. These enlarged portions, of course, facilitate insertion into the slots.

In order to lock the trough-claw structure into position once it has been inserted into the dispenser, holding means in the form of

lugs

65 and 66 may be provided which are rotatably mounted in the

panels

2 and 89, respectively, as indicated at 82 and 83. These lugs, when rotated into engagement with the downwardly bent end portions of the trough, prevent inadvertent removal of the trough and the claw from the dispenser casing 10.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be noted that these two figures illustrate a construction of the means for retrieving a cigarette from the interior of the dispenser after the cigarette has been inadvertently pushed back into the trough. These means generally comprise a rod 70 which extends parallel to but slightly above the trough 23. One end of the rod 70 projects through an opening of the front panel 2 of the casing and the projecting end is provided with an actuating knob 71 which can also 'be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The opposite end of the rod 70 carries a downwardly extending lug member 79. A hook-shaped member 72 is in turn pivoted to the lug 79. The hook-shaped member 72 extends perpendicular to the rod 70. The rod is guided for reciprocatory movement out from and into the casing by the provision of bearing members as diagrammatically indicated at 77. A spring 7 4 is interposed between the bearing member 77 which is stationarily fixed within the casing and the lug member 79. When a cigarette is to be removed from the dispenser, the rod is pulled out by the knob 71 as indicated in dash-dotted lines in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the knob is released, the spring 74 urges the rod back into its position within the casing. In order to facilitate alignment of the hook member 72 with the lighted front end of the cigarette to be removed from the casing, a plate 75 is secured to the bottom panel of the casing 10. The plate member 75 has an inclined or slanted portion 73. When the rod is pulled outwardly, the hook member 72 slides along the slanted portion 73 until it reaches the top of the slant. In this position, the free end of the hook member 72 projects from below through the longitudinal slot 27 of the trough 28 so as to be level with and in front ofthe lighted end of the cigarette to be removed. When the rod is then pulled out further, the hook member 72 engages the lighted end 99 of the cigarette 65 and pushes the cigarette through the dispensing opening 91 until it can be gripped by the user. This position is indicated in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 5. It will be realized that the provision of the pivotally mounted hook member 72 and the cooperating slanted plate 73, 75 is not necessary for proper functioning of the device. Instead, it is feasible to provide a rod which has a terminal projection or cross arm '72 and to mount the rod rotatably relative to the casing, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. By turning the knob 71, the user can then readily align the cross arm 72' with the lighted cigarette end so as to cause removal. Further, removal can also be accomplished by simply causing contact between such cross arm or

hook member

72 or 72 and the cigarette at any area of the cigarette as the frictional force thus created between the cross arm and the cigarette will be larger than the force holding the cigarette in the trough and claw. Pulling of the rod will therefore cause movement of the cigarette outwardly through the dispensing opening 91.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the means for temporarily increasing the clamping pressure by the claw 4 on the cigarette at the time when the cigarette is retracted from the heating element 5 of the lighting means. When the cigarette 65 is in front of the element 5 for the purpose of being lighted, the cigarette is clamped by the claw 4 as the upper jaw element 4a is pivoted toward the lower jaw member. The pressure exterted by the spring biased upper jaw member 4a on the cigarette is very slight and, as previously mentioned, may not be sufficient to permit retraction of the cigarette in a direction toward the dispensing opening as indicated by the arrow C. This is due to the adhesive force between the lighted end 99 of the cigarette and the red-hot surface of the element 5. In order to thus increase the clamping force on the cigarette, a two-armed lever 67 is provided which comprises lever arm 190 and lever arm 64. The lever is pivotally mounted at the pivot point 192 of a casing member 180 as indicated in FIG. 6. A ball or roller 191 is mounted on the free end of lever arm 190. A spring 195, one end of which is secured to the member 180, urges the lever arm 190 into a position away from the jaw member 4a, as indicated in dash lines in FIG. 6. Lever arm 64 is connected to the armature 193 of an electromagnet 194. When the electromagnet 194 is energized, the armature 193 is attracted, as seen in full lines in FIG. 6. The lever 67 is thereby rocked about the pivot point 192 so that the roller 191 on the other lever arm 190 bears against the top surface of the upper jaw member 4a of the claw 4, thereby to increase the clamping action on the cigarette 65. The operation of the mechanism is so timed that the electromagnet is excited at the very moment the retraction movement of the cigarette in direction of the arrow C takes place. As soon as the cigarette has ben disengaged from the heated surface 5 of the lighting means, the current for the electromagnet is switched off whereby spring 195 causes rocking of the lever 67 about the pivot point 192, thereby disengaging the roller 191 from the upper jaw member 4a.

While FIG. 6 illustrates the arrangement of the spring biased, electromagnetically actuated lever 67 in a diagrammatic manner so as to clarify the principle involved, FIG. 7 illustrates a practical embodiment for such arrangement wherein the corresponding elements have been indicated by the same reference numerals plus a prime Referring now to FIGS. 8 to 10, reference numeral 201 indicates a bellows which accommodates a helical spring 7 which constitutes the force storage means for accomplishing the return movement of the pusher rod 3, as disclosed in the patent. The interior space of the bellows 201 communicates with the ambient air by means of a vent opening 202 which acts as pressure equalizing means. The auxiliary control rod 101 which, by means of the guide pin 22, controls the lever 24 (see the patent) of the claw 4, is coupled with the pusher rod 3 by means of the spring 102. This corresponds to the construction of the patent. The motion of the auxiliary control rod 101 and thus of the claw 4 is controlled as follows: The pawl 30 is mounted on the auxiliary control rod 101 and during the forward movement of the auxiliary control rod 101 the control rod member 32 is taken along in positive manner due to engagement of the pawl 30 with the pin 31. The control rod member 32, however, during its forward movement, is also coupled with the retarding mechanism (or air brake) 35 by means of the pin 203. For this reason, the braking action of the retarding mechanism 35 exerts also a delaying action on the advance of the auxiliary control rod 101. Auxiliary control rod 101 and control rod member 32 therefore advance with the same speed, which speed is determined by the braking force of the braking or retarding mechanism and is less than in the construction of the patent. The mounting of the pawl 30 on the auxiliary control rod 101 is not clearly visible in FIGS. 8 and 9 because the pivot point 214 of the pawl, for constructional reasons, is placed on an angular member connected with the auxiliary control rod 101 at the level of the pusher rod 3.

The action of the release plate 45 provided in the previous patent at the rear end of the control rod member for releasing the pusher rod 3 is taken over by means of the electromagnet 204 and its armature 205 (FIG. 10). The armature 205 of the magnet is rockable about the axis 206. The armature has a projecting lug member 205a which, upon excitation of the magnet, strikes the pawl 29 and thus releases its arresting engagement with the rear bearing angle 45. A surface 205b at the armature serves the purpose to release an additional pawl from its engagement with the gearing of the pusher rod 3. This additional pawl which in the main patent bears reference numeral 104a, is not shown. The current for the magnet 204 is switched in and switched off by means of the control rod member during its return movement after the control rod member has switched off the heating current for the lighting device. In the event that an inadvertent interruption in the current supply for the circuit of the magnet should take place, release can be effected in manual manner by moving the armature into its operative position. This emergency release consists of a rod 207 which protrudes through the front panel of the cigarette casing and can be manipulated therefrom. The rod 207 pushes the pivotally mounted lever 208 against the armature. A spring 209 returns the lever and the rod into their starting positions. In order to perform its switching functions, the control rod member is provided with a cam 210 which controls the contacts for the circuits for the lighting means and for the electromagnet. These contacts are combined to form a composite unit 211. In order to cause release of the switching function in correct sequence, a

second contact pair

212, 213 is switched in series in each of the circuits. This

second contact pair

212, 213 cooperates alternatingly with the spring contacts of the unit 211.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that this invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence reversely to project with one end outwardly through the dispensing opening for manual grasping, wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening, and wherein a user may inadvertently push a projecting lit cigarette back into the casing, the improvement which comprises retriever means arranged adjacent said trough member and actuable from outside said casing for retrieving a cigarette inadvertently pushed back into the casing, from said trough member and moving it outwardly through said dispensing opening.

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retriever means comprises a rod having one end projecting through said casing for manual operation, and engaging means mounted on the other end of said rod for engaging a cigarette located within said trough member, said engaging means urging a cigarette in said trough through said dispensing opening when said projecting end of the rod is pulled in a direction away from said casing.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 2, wherein knob means are secured on said projecting end.

4. The improvement as claimed in claim 2, further comprising spring means within said casing and cooperating with said rod for urging said rod into said casing.

5. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at 'a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence reversely to project with one end outwardly through the dispensing opening for manual grasping, wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening, and wherein a user may inadvertently push a projecting lit cigarette back into the casing, the improvement which comprises a retriever in the form of a spring loaded rod extending substantially parallel to and adjacent said trough member and having one end projecting through said casing for manual actuation while the opposite end of the rod is provided with hook means to engage a cigarette, inadvertently pushed back into the casing, in said trough, said rod being pull able in a direction away from said casing against the action of said spring to move such cigarette outwardly through the dispensing opening.

6. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening, the improvement which comprises a retriever in the form of a spring loaded rod extending substantially parallel to and adjacent said trough member and having one end projecting through said casing for manual actuation, a hook member pivoted to the other end of said rod and normally extending below said trough member, said trough member having a longitudinally extending bottom slot, a plate member extending in said casing below said trough member and having a slanted surface engageable by said hook, said hook upon pulling of said rod in a direction away from said casing sliding along said slanted surface and projecting through said slot into the trough member.

7. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, wherein the conveying means includes a claw for exerting a predetermined first clamping pressure on the cigarette, said conveying means including means for first moving the claw toward the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, the improvement which comprises pressure means for temporarily increasing the clamping pressure of said claw on the cigarette to a second and higher pressure, said pressure means being movable between an operative position in which said means presses on said claw and an inoperative position in which said means is out of engagement with said claw, and actuating means for moving said pressure means from the inoperative position into the operative position when the cigarette is conveyed by the claw from the lighting means toward said dispensing opening.

8. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, wherein the conveying means includes a claw for clamping the cigarette, said conveying means including means for first moving the claw toward the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, the improvement which comprises a double-armed lever pivotally mounted in said casing and having first and second lever arms, said lever being pivotable between an operative position wherein said first lever arm bears against said claw and an inoperative position wherein said first lever arm is out of engagement with said claw, an electromagnet mounted in said casing and having an armature, said second lever arm being operatively connected with said armature, said electromagnet upon being energized attracting said armature to thereby pivot said lever into the operative position.

9. The improvement as claimed in claim 8, further comprising spring means connected to said first lever arm for urging said lever into said inoperative position.

10. The improvement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said electromagnet is energized when the claw with a cigarette starts its movement from the lighting means toward said dispensing opening and is deenergized when the cigarette is out of engagement with said lighting means.

11. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, wherein the conveying means are actuated by an axially reciprocating pusher rod and are controlled by means of an auxiliary control rod which moves forwardly and backwardly and extends parallel to the pusher rod and is coupled therewith by means of spring means, and where in the movements of the conveying means are further controlled by means of a reciprocating control rod member which, during its forward movement, is coupled with the auxiliary control rod and after release therewith and during its backward movement controls the operation of the lighting means, the improvement which comprises means for moving the auxiliary control rod during its forward movement at a lesser speed than during its backward movement, and wherein the braking of the auxiliary control rod during its forward movement is eifected by braking means effecting the braking of the control rod member during its return movement, the braking of the backward movement of the auxiliary control rod being effected by means of a bellows having a vent, said bellows enveloping a force storage means which effects the return movement of the auxiliary control rod and of the pressure rod.

12. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein means are provided for positively connecting the auxiliary control rod during its forward movement with the control rod member.

13. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pusher rod is arrested upon completion of its forward movement, means being provided for releasing the pusher rod, said means comprising an electromagnet, and control means for current supply to said electromagnet controlled by the control rod member during is backward movement.

14. The improvement as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a manually operable rod member extending through said casing and being capable of actuation from outside said casing, said rod member being capable of pressing the armature of said electromagnet to release said pusher rod.

15. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence reversely to project with one end outwardly through the dispensing opening for manual grasping, wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movably mounted on said trough member for clamping the cigarette, and wherein a user may inadvertently push a projecting lit cigarette back into the casing, the improvement which comprises that said trough member and said claw means form a detachable unit, said casing having a side wall portion formed with an access opening between said light-ing means and said dispensing opening for bodily sidewise insertion of said unit into operative position in said casing between said lighting means and said dispensing opening, and a retriever means arranged adjacent said trough member, in the operative inserted position of the latter, and actuable from outside said casing for retrieving a cigarette, inadvertently pushed back into the casing, from said trough memlber and moving it outwardly through said dispensing opening.

16. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movably mounted on said trough member for clamping the cigarette, the improvement which comprises that said trough member and said claw means form a detachable unit, means being provided for detachably mounting said unit in said casing between said lighting means and said dispensing opening, pressure means for increasing the clamping pressure of said claw on the cigarette, said pressure means being movable between an operative position in which said means presses on said claw and an inoperative position in which said means is out of engagement with said claw, and actuating means for moving said pressure means from the inoperative position into the operative position when the cigarette is conveyed by the claw from the lighting means toward said dispensing opening.

17. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lighting means and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movably mounted on said trough member for clamping the cigarette, the improvement which comprises that said trough member and said claw means form a detachable unit, means being provided for detachably mounting said unit in said casing between said lighting means and said dispensing opening, pressure means for increasing the clamping pressure of said claw on the cigarette, said pressure means being movable between an operative position in which said means presses on said claw and an inoperative position in which said means is out of engagement with said claw, and actuating means for moving said pressure means from the inoperative position into operative position when the cigarette is conveyed by the claw from the lighting means toward said dispensing opening, and a retriever means arranged adjacent said trough member and actuable from outside said casing for retrieving a cigarette from said trough member and moving it through said dispensing opening.

18. A cigarette dispenser comprising a casing defining a cigarette storage magazine, said casing having a dispensing opening in a front wall, a cigarette lighting means adjacent a second wall rearwardly of said front wall, and conveying means extending longitudinally adjacent a side wall for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, said conveying means including a trough member extending between said lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movably mounted in said trough member for clamping a cigarette, said casing having an access opening in said side wall, said front and second walls each being provided with an open ended slot, said trough member being bodily displaceable sidewise through said access opening into and out of operative position in said casing, and having bent end portions forming ledge members engageable in said slots to enable said trough member to be attached to and removed from said front and second walls through said access opening; handle means secured to said trough member for facilitating manipulation thereof; and locking means on said casing effective to releasably lock said trough member in operative engagement in said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,281,060 4/42 Aronson 221--136 2,552,481 5/51 Eberhardt et a1. 221-147 2,638,395 5/53 Smith 221197 X 2,655,422 10/53 Gussack 312333 2,711,944 6/55 Meek et a1. 312333 2,733,972 2/56 Diack 3083.6 2,936,930 5/60 Rott et al 22115 3,135,425 6/64 Korr 221-197 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiners,

Claims

1. IN A CIGATETTE DISPENSER INCLUDING A CASING DEFINING A CIGARETTE STORAGE MAGAZINE AND HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING, A CIGARETTE LIGHTING MEANS AND CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING ONE CIGARETTE AT A TIME FROM THE MAGAZINE TO THE LIGHTING MEANS AND THENCE REVERSELY TO PROJECT WITH ONE END OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE DISPENSING OPENING FOR MANUAL GRASPING, WHEREIN THE CONVEYING MEANS INCLUDES A TROUGH MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LIGHTING MEANS AND SAID DISPENSING OPENING, AND WHEREIN A USER MAY INADVERTENTLY PUSH A PROJECTING LIT CIGARETTE BACK INTO THE CASING, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES RETRIVER MEANS ARRANGED ADJACENT SAID TROUGH MEMBER AND ACTUABLE FROM OUTSIDE SAID CASING FOR RETRIEVING A CIGARETTE INADVERTENTLY PUSHED BACK INTO THE CASING, FROM SAID TROUGH MEMBER AND MOVING IT OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID DISPENSING OPENING.