Dispensing unit for elongated articles

• US 4,489,854 A
• Filed: 07/26/1982
• Issued: 12/25/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Traex Corporation (Traex)
• Original Assignee: Traex Corporation (Traex)
• Inventors: Wenkman, Gregory, Salzmann, Ferdinand
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US06/401,553
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 221/202, 221/201, 221/200, 221/264, 221/203, 221/197, 221/143
• US Class Current: 221/202
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/184 Dispensers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/02 for dispensing rod-shaped articles, e.g. needles packages for cigarettes provided with dispensing means B65D85/1009; dispensers for drinking straws A47G21/184
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk

Abstract

A dispensing unit for elongated articles is disclosed in which the articles are packaged in a carton (62) which can be placed directly into the storage bin (12) of the dispensing unit (10). Articles fall out of the carton (62) onto a support shelf (64) upon which they roll toward the dispensing mechanism to dispense articles through a port formed in the front of the storage bin (12). The dispensing mechanism includes a pair of oscillating members (46) which have pickup fingers (52) formed on them so as to pick up one article and transfer it to the exterior of the storage bin (12) when handles (16) formed in the exterior of the storage bin (12) are operated by the user.

Claims

1. A dispensing unit for elongated articles comprising

a rectangular storage bin (12) having a dispensing port (20) in the front thereof;

a support shelf (64) located in the storage bin (12) sloped so that articles placed thereon will roll toward the dispensing port (20);

at least one handle (16) on the exterior of the storage bin (12) operable by hand;

a pivotable lever operator (32) rotated by operation of the handle (16);

at least one oscillating member (46) including a pickup finger (18), the oscillating member (46) moving forwardly and backwardly as the lever operator (32) is rotated so that the pickup finger (18) moves into and out of the storage bin (12), the oscillating member (46) including a slot (48) formed in it through which the lever operator (32) extends so that the oscillating member (46) is entrained on the lever operator (32) to limit the movement of the oscillating member (46); and

a pickup finger guide (18) mounted on the front of the storage bin (12) just under the dispensing port (20) for each oscillating member (46), the pickup finger guide (18) being shaped and sized so as to retain therein the pickup finger (52) of the respective oscillating member (46) so as to confine the motion of the pickup finger (18) to the forward and backward motion of the oscillating member (46).

2. A dispensing unit for elongating articles comprising

a rectangular storage bin (12) having a dispensing port (20) in the front thereof;

a support shelf (64) located in the storage bin (12) sloped so that articles placed thereon will roll toward the dispensing port (20);

at least one handle (16) on the exterior of the storage bin (12) operable by hand;

a pivotable lever operator (32) rotated by operation of the handle (16);

at least one oscillating member (46) including a pickup finger (18), the oscillating member (46) moving forwardly and backwardly as the lever operator (32) is rotated so that the pickup finger (18) moves into and out of the storage bin (12), the oscillating member (46) including a slot (48) formed in it through which the lever operator (32) extends so that the oscillating member (46) is entrained on the lever operator (32) to limit the movement of the oscillating member (46); and

the lever operator (32) including a downwardly depending bridge portion (38) which includes a cam portion (42) for each oscillating member (46), the cam portion (42) of the lever operator (32) engaging a portion of each of the oscillating members (46) to cause the forward and backward movement of the oscillating member as the lever operator (32) is rotated.

3. A dispensing unit for elongated articles as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of the oscillating members (46) includes a pair of outwardly extending pegs (44) which are positioned on opposite sides of the cam portion (42) of the lever operator (32) so that motion of the cam portion (42) of the lever operator (32) is transferred through the pegs (44) to the oscillating member (46).

4. A dispensing unit for elongated articles which are packaged in a rectangular paperboard carton (62) having a dispensing opening (63) formed in one side of it, the dispensing unit comprising

a rectangular storage bin (12) sized so as to be capable of receiving the entire carton (62) of articles therein and having a dispensing port (20) formed in the front thereof;

a support shelf (64) located in the storage bin sloped so that articles placed thereon will tend to roll toward the dispensing port (20);

a dispensing means located adjacent the dispensing port (20) for selectively dispensing one article at a time out of the storage bin from those which roll down the support shelf (64), the dispensing means including a pair of oscillating members (46), each of which include a pickup finger (18) thereon, the oscillating members (46) moving forwardly and rearwardly so as to move the pickup fingers (18) into and out of the dispensing port (20) to carry articles out of the storage bin (12);

a support bracket (66) located in the rear of the storage bin (12) so as to support the carton (62) of articles in the storage bin (12) in spaced relation above the support shelf (64) so that articles which fall out of the dispensing opening (63) in the carton (62) can fall onto the support shelf (64) to roll along it;

a pair of handles located on the exterior of the storage bin (12); and

a lever operator (32) attached to said handles (16) and rotatable thereby, the lever operator (32) being connected to the oscillating members (46) to move the oscillating members when the handles (16) are rotated.

5. A dispensing unit for elongated articles as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of the pickup fingers (18) includes an article receiving recess (54) formed therein, the article receiving recess (54) sized and shaped so as to receive a single one of the articles therein, the articles receiving recess (54) receiving one, and only one, article as the pickup finger moves into the storage bin (12) and carries that single article out of the storage bin (12) when the oscillating member (46) moves forwardly.

6. A dispensing unit for elongated articles comprising

a rectangular storage bin (12) having a dispensing port (20) in the front thereof;

a support shelf (64) located in the storage bin (12) sloped so that articles placed thereon will roll toward the dispensing port (20);

a pair of oscillating members (46) located inside of the storage bin (12) and moveable forwardly and backwardly in an oscillating fashion;

a pickup finger (18) located on each of the oscillating members (46) at a range so that the pickup fingers (18) move into and out of the storage bin (12) as the oscillating member (46) moves forwardly and backwardly;

a pivotable lever operator (32) extending through each of oscillating members (46) such that rotation of the lever operator (32) causes forward and backward movement of the oscillating members (46);

a spring (46) engaging the lever operator (32) to bias its movement in one direction; and

a pair of handles (16) located on opposite sides of the exterior of the storage bin (12) and connected to the lever operator (32), each of the handles (16) including a retaining pin (26) which extends into a retaining pin slot (27) formed on the side of the storage bin (12) so that the rotational movement of the handles (16) is limited by the length of the retaining pin slot (27).