US967014A - Straw holder and dispenser. - Google Patents

Description

J. GILBERT.

STBAW HOLDER AND DISPENSER. Arrmonlon'nnnn x0v.1e, 190a.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

2 BHEETS-BKSBT 1.

INVENIOR d/IGOB G/LBERI Aime/vain? J. GILBERT. 1 STBAW HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

APPLICATION IILEDKOV. 1B,

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

3 SHEETS-85?! 2.

| l P I I I I I I I I H H Hl ll l l P ldl l U INVENTOB (/4005 GILBERT.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB GILBERT, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10

NATIONAL NOVELTY COMPANY, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

STRAW HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

Specification of Lettersl'atent. Patented A11 3 9,1910.

Application filed November 18, 1909. Serial No. 528,653.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB GILBERT, a

citizen of the United States, and a residentv of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw Holders and Dispensers, of which the 'following is a specification.

My invention is an improved apparatus for holding and dispensing straws used in connection with soda-fountains and else where.

The invention is embodied in the construction of the body of the straw-holder, and in the construction, arrangement, and attachment of the means by which the straws are dispensed or delivered from the same.

The details of construction, combination, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as a whole. Fig. 2 is a central, ver tical, longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a vertical cross section of the lower portion of the apparatus, on the line 4-4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4., save that the straw-dispensing or delivering devices are shown in a different or operating position. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of-a portion of the dispensing devices, and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views. I

The body of the apparatus comprises a central transparent portion 1, preferably constructed of glass, and circular flanged heads 2 and 3 into which the part 1 is fitted and by which it is held in cylindrical form. Each of the heads 2 and 3 is provided with integral supports consisting of diverging legs 1, 4 and 5, 5 which are connected by cross-bars 6', 6, that are curved slightly downward, and, in practice, may serve for support of straws. The heads 2 and 3, with their integral supports 4 and 5,are rigidly connected by longitudinal, flanged bars 7 and 8, the flanges being formed by turning downward the ends of such bars and securing them by screws or rivets to the webs of the frame directly below the circular heads 2 and 3. These bars 7 and 8 are arranged cleanliness and to prevent rust.

parallel, but separated by a space which, as shown in Fig. 3, is suflicient for the easy passage of straws. The edges thus separated are turned downward and form guide flanges 9. The head 2 has a solid end portion 2, but the head 3 is practically annular in form and provided with a detachable head 3, the same being provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with a dowel 10 on one side and a fastening pin 11 on the opposite side, that is to say, at the bottom. The head 3 is provided with a flange, as shown, which overlaps the adjacent portion of the annular part 3. By raising the pin 11, which is provided with a head for this purpose, the head 3* may be readily detached. A screw or lug is arranged at 12 to prevent the pin 11 being entirely drawn out.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the edges of the cylindrical glass body 1 overlap slightly the upper edges of the two longitudinal flanged bars 7 and 8, and the said body is held in place by the pressure and friction of its ends with the heads 2 and 8.

By the construction described, I produce a straw-holder into which the straws may be readily introduced by removing the head l) and in which they are protected from dust and other foreign substances, besides presenting an attractive appearance through the glass body. The parts composing the body and frame may be also readily put together or detached by simply applying or removing the screws which secure the flanged bars 7 and 8 to the end portions.

All of the parts which have been thus far named, save the body 1, are preferably nickel-plated for sake of ornamentation and g It will be understood that all of the parts, save the body 1, are constructed of brass, steel, or other suitable metal, and that ordinarily tihey would be struck up by means of suitable The dispensing devices are constructed as follows. A flap valve 13 is fixed on a longitudinal shaft la which, as shown in Fig. 3, is arranged directly behind the lower edge of the flanged bar 8 and has its bearings in thewebs of the end portions of the frame through which they project at each end and are there provided with thumb-levers 15.

Such valve is supported normally-in horizontal position by means of a pl te-spring 16 which is secured to the central portion of the flanged bar 8. In this closed position, it lies against the flanges 9 of the longitudinal bars 7 and 8. When opened or turned downward to its fullest extent by pressing upon a thumb-lever 15, it is arrested by a stop 17, as shown in Fig. 5. When the levers are relieved of pressure, the valve closes automatically by tension of the spring 16.

The shaft 14 is provided with two straw cut-offs whose construction, arrangement, and operation are as follows. The longitudinal bar 8 is provided with vertical slots through which work devices 18 that serve both as agitators and cut-offs, the same consisting of a bar or stem which is pivoted to a lug or offset on the shaft 13. When the valve 13 is in normal position, as shown in Figs. 3 and at, the heads of these cut-ofis and agitators 18 lie flush with the inner edges of the bar 8; but when the shaft is rotated by pressing upon a thumb-lever 15, the devices 18 are pushed upward into the position shown in Fig. 5, so that their heads, which are elongated downwardly, push up against the body of straws lying in the receptacle, thus agitating or stirring them sufficiently to prevent adhesion of one to another, but, what is more important, they cut off the descent of straws into the narrow passage leading to the place of discharge. In other words, at this time the heads of the devices 18 approach nearenough to the opposite bar 7 which is secured upon the bar 7, to prevent the already passed into the passageway is imposed on the valve 13. When the latter is opened, as shown in Fig. 5, the straw which lies directly upon it is free to slide downward and outward, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5; but the straws lying directly above the one so discharged are arrested in theirdescent by means of flanges or wings 19 which work through the same slots as the upper cut-off 18, and which, when not in operation, lie wholly retracted or flush with the flange of the bar 8, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The devices 19 not only serve as cut-offs, as described, but have the additional function of serving to aid the discharge of straws by pushing against the lower one lying on the valve when open. In practice, these lower cut-olfs 19, whose function is the most important of the two, are provided with the lugs or offsets heretofore referred to and serving for pivotal conneetions of the upper cut-offs 18.

It would, of course, be practicable to arrange the upper cutoffs at different points in the length of the bar 8, instead of arranging them directly over the lower cutpassage of a straw between them Thus, only the weight of straws which have offs 19, but, for sake of economy of construction, it is preferable that the two devices shall be arranged and operated as shown. It will be noted that one side of the cut-offs 19 is circular or curved in form, whereby they are adapted to move in contact with the straw whose descent is arrested, without abrading or otherwise injuring the same.

The dispensing apparatus here described operates with absolute certainty and will deliver the last straw from the receptacle as readily as any of the others.

The bars 6 may be as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so the straws lying on said bars will be accessible from all sides, without turning the machine around. Or, the bars 6 may be as shown in Fig. 7, inclining toward the front of the machine so the straws thereon will be accessible from the front of the machine only. The bars 7 may be made i11- tegral with the part 7, as shown in Fig. 8.

The holder may be made for dispensing lead pencils, tooth picks, and similar articles, as well as for straws.

What I claim is 1. The body of the described apparatus, comprising a solid circular head 2 and an annular head 3, each provided with flanges projecting inward and with rigid supporting legs, longitudinal bars rigidly connecting said heads and legs and attached to the latter at their junction with the heads, a thin cylindrical body whose ends are held by and within the aforesaid flanges, the said annular head having a detachable disk-like portion 3 and means for securing the same temporarily in place, as shown and described.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination with the straw-holder proper, having frame bars arranged longitudinally at the bottom, but separated and provided with downwardly bent flanges to serve as straw-guides, one of said bars being provided with vertical slots, a rotatable shaft journaled adjacent to the slotted bar and provided with a flap valve adapted to close the straw-delivery passage, a spring for holding such valve normally closed, and cut-offs working in said slots, and consisting of a device attached to the shaft and adapted, when the shaft is rotated, to project into the passageway and thus arrest the descent of straws, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination with the straw-holder proper having at the bottom parallel frame bars separated to form a passageway for straws and one of them provided with a series of vertical slots, of a rotary shaft arranged adjacent to the passageway longitudinally and provided with a flap valve adapted to normally close the passageway, a

cut-01f attached to theshaft and having a ofis being in the same vertical plane and curved outer edge adapted, when the shaft working through the same slots, as shown is rotated, to project into the path of the and described.

straws, and a series of upper agitators and JACOB GILBERT. cut-ofi's pivotally connected with the lower -Witnesses:

cut-offs and adapted, when the shaft is ro- WM. T. RAGSDALE,

tated, to project into the holder, both eut- M. A. SPUBR.

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