US986929A - Device for dispensing drinking-straws. - Google Patents

Description

G. MEREDITH. DEVICE FOR DISPENSING DRINKING STEAWS APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

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G. MEREDITH. DEVICE FOR DISPENSING DRINKING STBAWS APPLICATION FILED 811F112, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

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UNITE S'IA'I S ()FFICE.

GLENN MEREDITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 FINLEY ACKER,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING DRINKING-STRA'WS.

Application filed September 12. 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To :11]. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN h lnnnorrii, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State ot Pennsylvania, have invented a new and uset'ul Device for Dispensing Drinking-Straws, l of which the following is a specification. My invention consists of a device for disl pensing drinking-straws embodying a straw-reservoir or container, certain sides of which act as jaws which primarily serve to prevent the escape of the straws and which may be opened to permit the economical withdrawal of the same, the straws being visible ii'itermediate of their ends, so that grasping or handling of the same at said ends is avoided, and the sanitary condition of the straws is preserved both in their insertion in the mouth and in a drinlo ing vessel.

For the purpose of explaining the invention, the accompanying drawing illustrates a satisfactory reduction of the same to practice, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement and organization shown and described.

Figures 1 and 3 represent perspective views of devices for dispensing drinkingstraws embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a central vertical section on line :r-ar Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines a straw about to be withdrawn from the container of the device. Fig. 4 represents a vertical section on line yy Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

heferring to the drawings :-A designates a reservoir or container for drinking straws, the same consisting of a boxshaped structure of the sides B B and ends C, and disposed in oblique position so that the under sides 13 converge toward the bottom, they being separated from the ends (3 and made resilient so that they may expand and contract, their lower terminals forming jaws B which are normally contracted or closed, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the straws D supplied to the container may be retained in the latter.

The upper sides 13 are composed of the rims E which are secured to the ends C and pieces F which are fitted in said rims and made to slide or otherwise move therefrom,

so as to open the sides and admit of the introduction ot' the straws into the container and made of glass or othertransparentmaterial so that the supply of straws may be seen through the same.

The upper portion or apex of the con tainer is suspended from the rod G which is passed freely through the ends C and mounted on the upright ot' the stand H whereby the container may be turned to the right or left for purposes requiring the same.

In the centers of the under ends ot the sides 1 is an upwardly extending recess J which expose the central portions of the lowermost straws as most plainly shown in Fig. 1.

The operation is as follows :-\Vhcn straws are required the portions of the same at the recess J are grasped and drawn downwardly whereby the lower terminals or jaws B oi? the sides B are separated by the passage of the straws between the same and thus the straws emerge from said jaws at the exit of the container and so remain in the hand ready to be inserted in a drinking vessel. Meanwhile, the jaws close and so control the remaining straws in the container preventing dumping out of the some while the centers of the lowermost jaws appear at the recess J ready to be grasped for abstraction trom the container when required, as in the previous case, it being seen that the ends of the straws that have been removed have. been free from contact of the hand, and so may be placed. one end in the drinking vessel, and the other end inserted into the mouth in cleanly condition. l urthermore, comparatively but a few of the lowermost straws may be grasped at the recess J, and thus there is economy in the supply of straws to the party abstracting the same, and an extravagant number of the st'aws may not be taken at one time, as is often the case when the straws are in bundles in a vase, etc.

If desired, owing to the container being suspended on the rod G as an axis, it may be swung or turned laterally to a party, so as to present the straws in most convenient manner at the side of the container whereby they may be withdrawn at said side instead of at the bottom as in Fig. 2, the operation, however, being the same as that previously described.

Tn Figs. 3 and 4, I show a box composed of the top K resilient sides L depending therefrom, ends M, on which said top is supported, and a bottom N, which is secured to said ends M, the latter being continued downwardly forming legs P, on which said box is supported. The sides L are disconnected from the ends M, and bottom N, and their lower terminals form the movable jaws Q, which are opposite to the side edges R of the bottom N, as the stationary jaws of the box. In the lower edges of the sides L and side edges of the bottom N, are upwardlyextending registering recesses S and '1 respectively which expose the portions of the straws intermediate of their ends to the party desiring to remove the same, and permit the straws to be grasped by hand at said portions so that when the straws are drawn downwardly the jaws Q separate from the jaws R forming throats through which the straws that are grasped are withdrawn, which being accomplished, thej aws Q close on said jaws R and prevent the further descent and withdrawal of straws until the jaws Q are again opened by the straws that are forcibly lowered from the recesses S, T. Ordinarily I only one or two straws will pass through the throats of the aws, and thus there will be no material waste in the number of straws removed, thus economically dispensing the same. The sides L have secured to them, pieces U of transparent material, which admit of inspection of the interior of the box,

similarly to Figs. 1 and 2. The top K, and

bottom N, are secured to the ends M by the angle braces V, which are riveted to said parts respectively, forming a firm connecto be separated from below on the exit of the contents, the bottom of the container having thereon intermediate of its ends a recess tor grasping purposes.

2. In adevice of the character stated, a

container, horizontal means at the upper portions of the ends thereof and a support for said horizontal means suspending said container and admitting of swinging the same laterally, portions of the adjacent sides of said container being integral with said N sides and resiliently adapted to be separated from below the exit of the contents, portions of said resilient members being cut away in alinement with each other to form a recess through which the contained articles are exposed in position for grasping.

GLENN MEREDITH. Witnesses 1 JOHN A. VVIEDERsHmM, N. BUssINGnR. i

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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