US545546A - Receptacle foe toothpicks - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) f H. STAUB.

REGEPTACLB PoR TooTHPIeKs. NO- 545,546- Patented Sept. 3,- 1895.

A Heinrich Staub-.-

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Arron/w? Yfs' PATENT y. OFFIC.

HEINRICH STAUB, OF POTSDAM, GERMANY.

RECEPTAoLe, FOR TooTHPlcKs.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,546, dated September 3, 1895.

` Application filed September 8, 1894. Serial No. 522.521. (No model.) Patented in Belgium SeptemberI 14, 1894, No. 111,822, and in France October 13, 1894, No. 242,066. Y

To all whom it may concern,.-

B e it known that I, HEINRICH STAUB, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, and a resident of Potsdam, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German' Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Re- ,ceptacles for Toothpicks, (for which I have received Letters Patent in France, No. 242,066, dated October 18, 1894, and in Belgium, No. 111,822, dated September 14, 1894,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a receptacle for holding toothpicks or other similar articles which are liable to be soiled, injured, or wasted by handling, and which may be conveniently disposedand readily accessible forseparating and delivering a single toothpick or similar' article from a magazine containing a number of them without touching or handling any of the articles until they are delivered one at a time from the magazine. It is especially designed for use upon the table, bar, or buffet of the tavern or restaurant, to provide an article of ornament, and also clearly display the contents of the magazine or receptacle within reach of the users or customers who may help themselves without upsetting, deranging, or handling either a part or the entire contents of the receptacle.

The invention consists in certain features,

especially a verticallyrotating cylindrical shell, to contain the articles preferablyin separate compartments, which is caused to rotate intermittently; an outer case for exhibiting the said shell and its contents; special mechanism for accurately, conveniently, and certainly causing the intermittent rotation of said cylinder by compactly and conveniently disposed mechanism, and means for catching and delivering the single articles as they are droppedfrom the receptacle in a convenient and attractive manner to the user.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of a toothpick-dropping receptacle illustrating my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional elevation thereof in the line of the dropper and the delivering-holder; Fig. 3, a plan of the apparatus with the cap 'removed to exhibit the rotating mechanism, and Fig. 4 a perspective of the retaining-pawl of the lever mechanism for giving intermittent movement to the cylindrical shell.v

An ornamental stem a and base a', preterably cast of some light metal capable of Y delicate ornamentation, supports a circular table b, having an upturned peripheralrimflange b2, and a central tubular post c, reduced at its upper end c', to provide a shoulder c2, and the upper end of the reduced portion c threaded to tit a Y correspondinglythreaded tubularprojection d', depending from the under side of the cap cl, which latter also has a downwardly-projecting rim-flange d2 of equal internal diameter withthat of the rim-flange b2 to receive and support, respectively, the upper and lower ends of a glass or .inclosing cylinder g, which, forms the outer and thus hold and steady the movement of the said cylinder e at its lower end. The exterior of the lower 'half of the cylinder e is encircled by and supports a circle of shells or`short cylinders f,secured thereto, which are caused. to intermittently rotate therewith by the following-described means, which latter provides a simple and elective device easily operated by a push-rod. A knob h is secured to the upper end of a push-rod h',

which passes centrally through the cap d,-the depending tube d at the bottom, and a packed thimble d3 at the top of said cap to secure an accurate frictionless vendwise movement of the rod h through the cap. A coiled spring fits snugly in the tubular portion of the post o and supports a stem lo and cone-plug 7c upon the upper end thereof to normally press said cone up against the lower end of the push-rod h and hold the knob hin its raised position. The lower end of the push-rod h carries a radial arm Z, having at its extremity a IOO wedge or cone shaped tooth Z, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and a detent-lever n, having a pivothole m and prongs n', and a similar wedge or cone shaped tooth a2 is supported upon a screw or stud pin at the upper end and upon the outer side of the post c. The prongs fn are at right angles to the lever n, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and straddle the arm Z, and as the arm Z is raised and lowered by the pushrod h the free end of the lever fn will be correspondingly and coincidently lowered and raised by the movement of said arm independently of gravitation and through the positive action of the spring t', cone 7c, and pushrod h. The upper disk-plate e isperforated near its periphery at regular intervals in a circle directly beneath the path of the coneteeth Z and n2 with holes 0 equal in number to the number of shells f around the cylinder e, into two nearly opposite ones of which said cone-teeth are alternately moved each time the push-rod h is pressed and released, thus imparting an intermittent rotary movement tothe cylinder e and to each of the shellsf. A discharge-aperture b of equal area. to that of one of the shellsfis located in the table l) at an equal distance from the axial line a: :c as that of the shells fand in such positions vertically to the holes o and to the axial lines of the said shells f, when the latter are at rest, that each shell f will successively come opposite the discharge-aperture b at each intermittent movement of the cylinder e and deposit the contents of one of the shells or one toothpick each time the knob h and rod 7L are depressed. A delivery receptacle or boot p is located beneath the discharge-aperture b and receives each toothpick as it falls through the dischargeaperture, and being of conical form and inclined outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, the toothpick held by the delivery-receptacle is supported with an outward inclination and may be easily picked up.

The receptacle is operated in the followingdescribed manner: The knob h and push-rod 71. are depressed, and the arm Z, supported upon the yielding cone-plug 7c in its raised position with its wedge-shaped tooth Z a suitable distance above to properly clear the perforations in the disk-plate e', is depressed with said push-rod k'. The prongs n' of the lever-arm n are first pushed down sufliciently to lift the cone-shaped tooth n2 upon the free end of said lever-arm out from the holes o of said plate and at the same time barely enter the point of the wedge-shaped tooth Z -into one of the holes o of said disk-plate e, a continued movement of said push-rod k and arm Z serving to continue to lift the detent cone-shaped tooth n2 a greater distance clear of the disk, and the continued downward `movement of the wedge-tooth Z', after entering one of the holes 2, pushes or Wedges the disk-plate e round a sufficient distance to allow the coneshaped tooth n2 of the lever` n to enter the next succeeding hole of the disk-plate. When the push-rod 7L is released, the spring-actuated cone-plug Zt, pressing beneath the arm Z, will again raise the arm Z, push-rod Zt', and short forked end of lever n, the longer end, carrying the said cone-shaped tooth n2, being then pushed down a sufficient distance to Wedge or move the disk-plate e the remaining portion of its movement to bring the next succeedinghole o beneath the wedge-shaped tooth Z of the arm Z, and at the same time bringing a toothpick opposite the` discharge-apertures b and allows it to drop into the boot-recepq tacle.

This is a dainty table ornament, and when a tine quality of tooth picks is used its employment is not only of an economic, but of a refined character, as the tooth picks are at all times, while visible through the glass casing g, protected from dust and from being handled by each person who picks up a toothpick.

It is obvious that this `device may be used to hold cigars, cigarettes, or matches and deliver them one at a time, but for such uses the aesthetic feature above referred to does not so obviously present itself.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A delivery receptacle comprising an outer casing having a discharge opening in its bottom plate, a magazine cylinder supported to rotate therein, a push rod in the same axis with the cylinder carrying a toothed arm to engage with apertures in magazine cylinder and a detent lever similarly pivoted to the central tube and actuated by the said arm to give intermittent rotation to the magazine cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In a delivery receptacle, the combination with the outer casing having a central tubular post, of the magazine cylinder having a perforate cap plate fitted thereon, a push rod in said post carrying a 'toothed arm and a detent lever pivoted to the post and engaging with said arm to intermittently actuate v`the magazine cylinder by the movement of the push rod, substantially as described.

3. In a delivery receptacle, the combination with the outer casing having a discharge opening b', of the intermittently rotating cylinder carrying shells f, brought successively above said discharge opening by the intermittent rotation of the cylinder, a central hub tube or post, a push rod supported therein carrying a toothed arm to engage with the cylinder and a .spring within the tube to lift the push rod, substantially as described.

f1. In a delivery receptacle, the combination of the outer casing having a single discharge opening, the magazine cylinder, the central post, the push rod and spring supported therein, the arm Z, secured to the push rod and the tilting detent lever n, pivoted to the post and actuated by the arm Z, to act roo IIO

IZO

conjointly therewith upon the magazine cylperforation of the cylinder head, substaninder, substantially as described. yt'ially as described.

5. In a delivery receptacle, the combina- In testimcny'that I claim the foregoing as tion with a cylinder having a perforate head, my invention I have signed my name in pres- 5 of an axial push rod carrying arm Z, anddeence vof two subscribing Witnesses.

pending cone tooth Z to engage successively said perforations, and a detent lever having HEINRICH STAUB. A pivot hole m, supported thereby upon the post Witnesses: or cylinder axis, prongs n', to engage the arm CARL FR. REICHELT,

ro Z, and a depending tooth n2, to engage the W. HAUPT.

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