US3281033A

US3281033A - Stamp dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3281033A
Application number: US406090A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas F Stutzman; Edward J Rynn
Original assignee: Eureka Specialty Printing Co
Current assignee: Eureka Specialty Printing Co
Priority date: 1964-10-23
Filing date: 1964-10-23
Publication date: 1966-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-25

Description

25, 1966 T. F. STUTZMAN ETAL 3,281,033

STAMP DISPENSER Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTORS THOMAS F. STUTZMAN EDWA RD J. R VN/V United States Patent Office 3,281,633 Patented Oct. 25, 1986 3,281,033 STAMP DISPENSER Thomas F. Stutzrnan, .lustus, Pa., and Edward J. Rynn,

Howard Beach, N.Y., assignors to Eureka Specialty Printing Company, Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,090 Claims. (Cl. 225-38) This invention relates to receptacles or containers from which selected lengths of material in strip form may be dispensed, and more particularly to portable receptacles or containers for dispensing trading stamps and the like.

The main object of the instant invention is to provide a receptacle in which its cover forms one element of an elongated frictional control means for a strip of stamps or the like being fed from a roll contained in the receptacle.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a stamp dispensing device which may be manufactured to hold one or a series of spools of stamps, ribbon or other materials to be dispensed and which is made of a minimum number of parts and due to its structure requires no mechanical adjustments or attachments to perform its function.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing device for spool material which is constructed from a box like enclosure having a pair of plate like elements which are slidably supported therein to form a restricted passage through which the spool like material may be fed and controlled during the feeding thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class in question which is readily portable and can be conveniently carried by salesmen in gasoline service stations and the like, thereby eliminating the necessity of the salesman returning to an otfice to obtain stamps for a customer after each sale from a conventional fixed dispenser.

These and further objects of the invention will more clearly hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the instant specification wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the sevaral views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a persepective view showing the invention used in connection with the dispensing of multiple strips;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section illustrating the movement of the strip from one of the chambers; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of the guideway formed in the end walls.

Basically, the invention comprehends the use of a receptacle, the top of which is in the form of a member slid-able in grooves appropriately disposed in the receptacle and which coacts with a plate member disposed for slidable movement in a set of parallel grooves also appropriately disposed in the receptacle; the plate member being formed to provide an exit passage for a strip of stamps being dispensed from the receptacle and co acting with the top to form therewith a restricted passage through which the strip of stamps is dispensed from the receptacle while at the same time providing a friction effect upon the strip of stamps to prevent movement thereof back into the receptacle.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the structure is designed to form a plurality of compartments for dispensing stamps from a series of rolls, it being apparent from this structure that the rolls of stamps could be of different size by modifying the partitions or could be used for stamps of different denominations. The structure shown in FIGS. 1-4 is intended to he basically a portable design and includes an elongated receptacle including front wall 20, bottom wall 21, end walls 22 and rear wall 23. Vertical transversely arranged partitions 24 and 25 are illustrated for separating the receptacle in a plurality of dispensing chambers, each of which is adapted to contain a roll of stamps or the like to be dispensed from the structure.

The end walls 22 are formed at their inner top portions with

transverse guide slots

26 and 27 arranged parallel to each other, the bottom slots 27 being adapted to receive a friction insert plate 28 which can be inserted from the open ends of the slots above the short rear wall 23, as shown at 28a, and this friction plate insert will abut the inner face 29 of the front wall 20 and will terminate inwardly of the rear wall 23 to provide a guide passage for a strip of stamps, as will more clearly hereinafter appear.

A cover plate 30 is inserted through the open end of the upper slots 26 above the rear wall or panel 23 and will likewise terminate against the inner face 29 of the front wall 20. The top plate or cover 30 is formed with recesses 31 at its front end to provide finger openings for gripping a strip of stamps being dispensed from the rolls or stamps contained within the compartments defined by the partitions 24 and 25. A roll of stamps or the like is indicated at B in the first compartment (FIGS. 1 and 3) and is shown extending upwardly about the transverse guide end 32 of the friction plate 28 and between the top of friction plate or insert 28 and the inner face of cover 30, as at 33 (FIG. 3) and outwardly through a plurality of openings 36 (FIG. 1) of the receptacle for removal by a tearing operation along an edge 37 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of an opening 36, or by separation along a respective edge 37 at perforated points, as is customary in stamp strip structures.

It will 'be apparent that the illustrations in the present disclosure are exaggerated to clearly show the parts, however, it is to be understood that the spacing between the friction plate or insert 28 and the cover 30 is to be substantially equal to the thickness of the stamp or other material which i being dispensed and which is being moved therebetween so that the entire area between the adjacent faces of the friction plate 28 and the cover 30 will provide gripping areas to frictionally control the passage of stamp strips or the like therebetween and to hold the remaining portion of the strip to prevent it from slipping backward into its respective compartments.

In the disclosure, coil supports to fit in the recesses in the ends of the spools of stamps or other material are shown at 34 and 35, the coil supports 34 being suitably secured to the inner faces of the end walls 22 and the coil supports 35 being shown as extending through openings in the partitions 24 and 25. Any form of spool support may be provided for maintaining the spools or rolls of stamps generally parallel to the adjacent side walls so that proper feeding of the stamps from the spools will be facilitated.

Any number of stamps can be separated from the remainder of the roll by the operator grasping the free end a of the stamps after an appropriate amount has been withdrawn from the receptacle and severing the strip by a tearing operation across a edge; the edge being sufiiciently sharp to provide an appropriate tearing surface. If the operator chooses to do so, he may apply pressure to the stamp trip within the cut-out area 31 in FIG. 1, to retain the strip against further dispensing during the tearing operation.

What is claimed is:

l. A receptacle adapted to receive material in the form of a strip selected lengths of which are to be torn off: comprising (a) a plurality of walls interconnected to define therebetween a material receiving enclosure;

(b) slot means formed in said material receiving enclosure and of a size sufiicient to permit the movement of selected lengths of the strip material from said material receiving enclosure when a strip of material is disposed therewithin;

() plate means slidably disposed in first guide slots formed in opposed walls of said material receiving enclosure with a surface of said plate means in close proximity to a surface on another of said walls of said material receiving enclosure so as to form between said surfaces a passageway of restricted configuration to frictionally receive the material of the strip of material, and so as to permit the movement of the strip material through said slot means and out from said material receiving enclosure; and

((1) said another of said walls of said material receiving enclosure being slid-ably disposed in second guide slots which are similar to said first guide slots, are parallel to said first guide slots, and are formed respectively in said opposed walls of said material receiving enclosure.

2. The receptacle of claim 1: wherein (a) said plate means is of a size substantially coextensive with that of said another of said walls of said material receiving enclosure, but is shortened in at least one dimension with respect thereto so as to permit movement of a strip of the strip of material from said material receiving enclosure into said passageway; and

(b) said another of said walls of said material receiving enclosure is formed with recess means to facilitate movement of a strip of the strip of material through said passageway.

3. The receptacle of claim 1: wherein (a) the strip of material is in the form of a coil; and

(b) there are coil support means disposed in said material receiving enclosure to facilitate unwinding of said coil.

4. The receptacle of claim 1 including partition means dividing said material receiving enclosure into a plurality of compartments each adapted to have a strip of material disposed therewithin and dispensed therefrom through said passageway and slot means.

5. A dispensing device for stamps and the like comprising:

(a) a front wall, a left end wall, a right end wall, a

rear wall, and a bottom wall, all integrally interconnected to form an enclosure open at the top and adapted to receive a strip of stamps;

(b) a first guide slot formed in the inner surface of said left end wall proximate the top edge thereof and a second guide slot formed in the inner surface of said right end wall proximate the top edge thereof and in the same plane as said first guide slot;

(c) a top wall of a size and configuration to be slidably received in said first and said second guide slots so as to close the top of said enclosure;

(d) an insert plate;

(e) a third guide slot formed in the inner surface of said left end wall proximate said first guide slot and coplanar with a fourth guide slot, formed in the inner surface of said right end Wall proximate said second guide slot, and coacting with said fourth guide slot to slidab=ly receive said insert plate and position 41 same in close proximity with said top wall to form therebetween a passageway of a size and configuration to frictionally receive an end of the strip of stamps so as to permit movement thereof when a predetermined pull is applied thereto but sufficient to retain same when said predetermined pull is no longer applied thereto; and

(f) at least one exit slot formed in one of said walls to permit movement of the end of the strip of stamps from said enclosure after it has-passed through said passageway.

6. The dispensing device of claim 5: wherein (a) said rear wall is formed shorter than said front wall, said left end wall, and said right end wall;

(b) said first and third guide slots and said second and fourth guide slots, being respectively disposed in the inner surfaces of said left end wall and said right end wall which extend above the height of said rear wall so as to permit sliding movement of said top wall and said insert plate into and out of their respective guide slots from edges thereof at the rear of said enclosure.

7. The dispensing device of claim 6: wherein (a) said top Wall fully covers the top of said enclosure by abutting against an inner surface of said front wall and by extending over an upper edge of said rear wall; and

(b) said insert plate is of a size and configuration such that it will abut :said inner surface of said front wall but will terminate short of said rear wall so as to permit movement of an end of the strip of stamps therebetween and into said passageway.

8. The dispensing device of claim 7 wherein said exit slot is formed through said front wall in the portion thereof between where said top wall and said insert plate abut said inner surface of said front wall.

9. The dispensing device of claim 8 including partitions disposed within said enclosure to divide same into compartments.

10. The dispensing device of claim 9 wherein the strip of stamps are wound into coils and each of said compartments has formed therein coil supports to facilitate mounting of the coils within said compartments and the unwinding of the coils.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,240 11/1918 Krile 22534 X 1,364,743 1/1921 Fuerth 22544 1,881,73 1 10/ 1932 Lewandowski 22544 2,118,791 5/1938 Hines 22547 2,276,296 3/1942 Flood 22544 X 2,433,445 12/1947 Elsman 22547 2,462,816 2/1949 Schner et al 22588 X 2,463,037 1/1949 Holm 22534 X 2,647,577 8/1953 White 206-58 X 2,771,214 11/ 1956 Lefebvre 22544 X 2,984,397 5/1961 Gillam 22553 X 3,092,294 6/1963 Holcombe 22547 FOREIGN PATENTS 683,663 3/1930 France.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primdry Examiner.

J. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF A STRIP SELECTED LENGTHS OF WHICH ARE TO BE TORN OFF: COMPRISING (A) A PLURALITY OF WALLS INTERCONNECTED TO DEFINE THEREBETWEEN A MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE; (B) SLOT MEANS FORMED IN SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE AND OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT THE MOVEMENT OF SELECTED LENGTHS OF THE STRIP MATERIAL FROM SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE WHEN A STRIP OF MATERIAL IS DISPOSED THEREWITHIN; (C) PLATE MEANS SLIDABLE DISPOSED IN FIRST GUIDE SLOTS FORMED IN OPPOSED WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE WITH A SURFACE OF SAID PLATE MEANS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A SURFACE ON ANOTHER OF SAID WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE SO AS TO FORM BETWEEN SAID SURFACE A PASSAGEWAY OF RESTRICTED CONFIGURATION TO FRICTIONALLY RECEIVE THE MATERIAL OF THE STRIP OF MATERIAL, AND SO AS TO PERMIT THE MOVEMENT OF THE STRIP MATERIAL THROUGH SAID SLOT MEANS AND OUT FROM SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE; AND (D) SAID ANOTHER OF SAID WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE BEING SLIDABLE DISPOSED IN SECOND GUIDE SLOTS WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO SAID FIRST GUIDE SLOTS, ARE PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST GUIDE SLOTS, AND ARE FORMED RESPECTIVELY IN SAID OPPOSED WALLS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING ENCLOSURE.