Apparatus for storing and dispensing objects, such as in particular packets of cigarettes, boxes and other like articles, of parallelepipedic or cylindrical shape

• US 5,110,192 A
• Filed: 04/16/1990
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jacques Lauterbach
• Original Assignee: Jacques Lauterbach
• Inventors: Lauterbach, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US07/509,948
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 221/92, 221/123-124, 221/191, 221/195, 221/241-242, 221/279, 221/131, 211/54.1, 211/59.3, 211/51, 211/184, 312/71, 312/61, 198/746, 198/747
• US Class Current: 312/71
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for storing and dispensing parallelepipedic or cylindrical objects, such as boxes, packets or like articles, characterized in that the pusher is constituted by a blade extending across the passage between two successive partitions defining the same passage, each partition comprising on its four upper, lower, front and rear edges, respectively, an upper, lower, front and rear groove, each of these grooves being laterally defined by a wall, on one of which slides the auxiliary body which has the general shape of a rectangular plate disposed vertically lengthwise and comprising, at the location of each of its top and bottom horizontal sides, a U-shaped channel constituted by two plates mounted square so as to form a horizontal slideway overlapping respectively the upper and lower edge of said wall of the partition, to constitute the members for guiding the pusher.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing objects, such as boxes and packets, of a solid shape, comprising:

a principal body in the form of a box means, including two longitudinal lateral sides, a front side and a rear side both perpendicular to the preceding ones, and a bottom, said principal body being divided into a certain number of elongated passages in the direction of the lateral sides, with the aid of an appropriate number of partitions, parallel to one another and between which the objects are placed in line, one behind the other;

a pusher mounted for longitudinal slide allocated to each of said elongated passages so that it is applied against the last object of the line;

elastic means cooperating with each of said pushers to urge said pushers, on a front side of the principal body, with the result that the first object of the line comes into abutment against the same front side;

each said pusher being rigidly associated with an auxiliary or slide block means mounted or longitudinal slide with the aid of appropriate members to ensure continuous guiding of said pusher over the whole length of its displacement;

said pusher being constituted by a blade extending across the passage between two successive partitions defining the same passage;

each said partition comprising on its four upper, lower, front and rear edges, respectively, an upper, lower, front and rear groove;

each of said grooves being laterally defined by a wall, on one of which slides the auxiliary body means which has the general shape of a rectangular plate disposed vertically lengthwise and comprises, at the location of each of its top and bottom horizontal sides, a U-shaped channel constituted by two plates mounted square so as to form a horizontal slideway overlapping respectively the upper and lower edge of said wall of the partition, to constitute the members for guiding the pusher;

said front groove being much deeper than the other three grooves in order to constitute a chamber in which is mounted a wheel rotating freely on a shaft borne by the walls; and

said elastic means including a taut, elongated, elastic body connected with and extending between a first catch means borne by the partition in the lower groove, passing along this lower groove, then in a notch in the wheel and being fastened to a second catch means borne by the upper channel of the auxiliary body.

2. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the partition is provided, at the two ends of the lower edge, on each side, with a rectangular cut-out, the two front and rear sides each being provided, towards the bottom, with a threshold inserted in said cut-outs to limit the descent of the partition towards the bottom, forming a free space.

3. In the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inner faces of the front and rear sides of the principal body are provided with a series of teeth extending perpendicularly with respect to the bottom without reaching it, these teeth presenting, seen in plan view, the appearance of a series of comb teeth, each wall being inserted between two successive teeth.

4. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the partition, the wheel, the elastic means, the auxiliary body with its upper and lower channels and the blade constitute an assembly independent of the principal body.

5. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner faces of the front and rear sides of the principal body are provided with a series of teeth extending perpendicularly with respect to the bottom without reaching it, these teeth presenting, seen in plan view, the appearance of a series of comb teeth, each wall being inserted between two successive teeth.

6. In the apparatus of claim 5, wherein a transverse cross-section of the teeth is dove-tailed in shape, the front and rear walls presenting a complementary cross-section.

7. In the apparatus of claim 5, wherein a transverse cross-section of the teeth is triangular in shape.

8. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second catch means is a catch.

9. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second catch means is an eyelet.

10. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object dispensed is of a paralellepipidic shape.

11. In the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object dispensed is of a cylindrical shape.

12. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing objects, such as boxes and packets having a solid, cylindraceous shape, comprising:

a principal body in the form of drawer means, including two longitudinal lateral sides, a front side and a rear side both perpendicular to the preceding ones, and a bottom, said principal body being divided into a certain number of elongated passages in the direction of the lateral sides, with the aid of an appropriate number of partitions, parallel to one another and between which the objects are placed in line, one behind the other;

a pusher mounted for longitudinal slide allocated to each of said elongated passages so that it is applied against the last object of the line;

elastic means cooperating with each of said pushers to urge said pushers, on a front side of the principal body, with the result that the first object of the line comes into abutment against the same front side;

each said pusher being rigidly associated with an auxiliary body or slide block mounted for longitudinal slide with the aid of appropriate members to ensure continuous guiding of said pusher over the whole length of its displacement;

said pusher being constituted by a blade extending across the passage between two successive partitions defining the same passage;

each said partition comprising on its four upper, lower, front and rear edges, respectively, an upper, lower, front and rear groove; and

each of said grooves being laterally defined by a wall, on one of which slides the auxiliary body which has the general shape of a rectangular plate disposed vertically lengthwise and comprises, at the location of each of its top and bottom horizontal sides, a U-shaped channel constituted by two plates mounted square so as to form a horizontal slideway overlapping respectively the upper and lower edge of said wall of the partition, to constitute the members for guiding the pusher;

said partition being provided, at the two ends of the lower edge, on each side, with a rectangular cut-out, the two front and rear sides each being provided, towards the bottom, with a threshold inserted in said cut-outs to limit the descent of the partition towards the bottom, forming a free space.

13. In the apparatus of claim 12, wherein the object is of a paralellepipidic shape.

14. In the apparatus of claim 12, wherein the object is of a cylindrical shape.

15. In the apparatus of claim 12, wherein the partition, the elastic means, the auxiliary body with its upper and lower channels and the blade constitute an assembly independent of the principal body.

16. In the apparatus of claim 12, wherein the inner faces of the front and rear sides of the principal body are provided with a series of teeth extending perpendicularly with respect to the bottom without reaching it, these teeth presenting, seen in plan view, the appearance of a series of comb teeth, each wall being inserted between two successive teeth.

17. In the apparatus of claim 16, wherein a transverse cross-section of the teeth is triangular in shape.

18. In the apparatus of claim 16, wherein a transverse cross-section of the teeth is dove-tailed in shape, the front and rear walls presenting a complementary cross-section.

19. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing objects, having a solid configuration, comprising:

a principal body in the form of a box means, including two longitudinal lateral sides, a front side and a rear side both perpendicular to said lateral sides, and a bottom, said principal body being divided into a number of elongated passages in the direction of the lateral sides, with the aid of an appropriate number of partitions, parallel to one another and between which the objects are placed in line, one behind the other;

a pusher mounted for longitudinal slide allocated to each of said elongated passages so that it is applied against the last object of the line;

individual elastic means cooperating with each of said pushers for urging thereof on the front side of said principal body, with the result that the first object of the line comes into abutment against the same front side, each said pusher being rigidly associated with slide block means mounted for longitudinal slide with the aid of appropriate members to ensure continuous guiding of said pusher over the whole length of its displacement;

said pusher being constituted by a blade extending across the passage between two successive partitions defining the same passage, each said partition comprising on its four upper, lower, front and rear edges, respectively, an upper, a lower, front and rear groove, each said grooves being laterally defined by a wall, on one of which the slide block means slides having the general shape of a rectangular plate disposed vertically lengthwise and comprising, at the location of each of its top and bottom horizontal sides, a U-shaped channel constituted by two plates mounted square so as to form a horizontal slideway overlapping respectively the upper and lower edge of said wall of the partition, to constitute the members for guiding the pusher;

said front groove being much deeper than the other three grooves in order to constitute a chamber in which is mounted a wheel rotating freely on a shaft borne by the walls; and

said individual elastic means including a single taut, elongated, elastic body having its ends extending connected to and between first and second catch means, said first catch means being borne by the partition and said elastic body extending in the lower groove, passing along this lower groove, then in a notch in the wheel and being fastened to said second catch means borne by the upper channel of the auxiliary body.

20. In the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the partition is provided, at the two ends of the lower edge, on each side, with a rectangular cut-out, the two front and rear sides each being provided, towards the bottom, with a threshold inserted in said cut-outs to limit the descent of the partition towards the bottom, forming a free space.