Apparatus for receiving and dispensing granulated materials

• US 8,196,622 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael A. Fisher
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Fisher
• Inventors: Fisher, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Application Number:
  US12/275,124
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 141/331, 141/332, 141/340, 141/344, 141/345, 141/231, 141/232, 141/233, 141/311.R, 141/383, 141/384, 141/330, 222 80- 91
• US Class Current: 141/384
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/007 Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 11/02 without discharge valves

Abstract

An apparatus for receiving and dispensing a granulated material incorporating a hopper; a coupling member having an upper end, a lower end, and a conduit extending from the upper end to the lower end; a snap channel and snap ridge combination for rotatably interconnecting the hopper and the coupling member, the snap channel and snap ridge combination positioning the coupling member for communication of the conduit with a lower output end of the hopper; an agitator having proximal and distal ends, the agitator'"'"'s proximal end being fixedly attached to the coupling member, the agitator'"'"'s distal end extending into the hopper'"'"'s interior space; and a bottle mounting socket fixedly attached to the coupling member'"'"'s lower end.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving and dispensing a granulated material, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a hopper having a conical interior space, an upper intake end, a lower output end, and an interior space bounded by an inner wall;

(b) a coupling member having an upper end, a lower end, and a conduit extending from said upper end to said lower end;

(c) rotatable mounting means interconnecting the hopper and the coupling member, the rotatable mounting means positioning the coupling member for communication of the conduit with the hopper'"'"'s lower output end;

(d) an agitator having proximal and distal ends, the agitator'"'"'s proximal end being fixedly attached to the coupling member, the agitator'"'"'s distal end extending into the hopper'"'"'s interior space; and

(e) bottle mounting means fixedly attached to the coupling member'"'"'s lower end;

the agitator being positioned for rotatably wiping the hopper'"'"'s inner wall.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the agitator is configured to present a beveled edge.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the agitator is further configured to present a blunt edge, the blunt edge being positioned oppositely from the beveled edge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotatable mounting means comprises an annular channel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the rotatable mounting means further comprises an annular ridge, the annular channel being fitted for removable receipt of the annular ridge.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottle mounting means comprises a helically threaded socket.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a mixing bottle having a mouth, the mixing bottle'"'"'s mouth being threadedly attachable to the helically threaded socket.

8. An apparatus for receiving and dispensing a granulated material, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a hopper having an upper intake end, a lower output end, and an interior space, the interior space comprising an interior wall defining a conical concavity;

(b) a plurality of agitator and coupling member combinations, each such combination'"'"'s coupling member having an upper end, a lower end, and a conduit extending from the upper end to the lower end, each such combination'"'"'s agitator having a proximal end and distal end, the proximal end being fixedly attached to said each combination'"'"'s coupling member;

(c) rotatable mounting means adapted for interchangeably interconnecting the agitator and coupling member combinations and the hopper, the rotatable mounting means, upon connection of one of the agitator and coupling member combinations to the hopper, positioning said one combination'"'"'s conduit for communication with the hopper'"'"'s lower output end, and extending said one combination'"'"'s agitator into the hopper'"'"'s interior space; and

(d) a plurality of bottle attachment helically threaded sockets, each bottle attachment helically threaded socket being fixedly attached to the lower end of a coupling member among the agitator and coupling member combinations, each bottle attachment socket having an inside diameter varying from that of each other bottle attachment socket;

wherein, upon the connection of said one of the agitator and coupling member combinations to the hopper, said one combination'"'"'s agitator further extends for wiping contact against the hopper'"'"'s interior wall.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each agitator is configured to present a beveled edge.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each agitator is further configured to present a blunt edge, the blunt edge being positioned oppositely from said each agitator'"'"'s beveled edge.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the rotatable mounting means comprises a plurality of annular channels, each annular channel being positioned at the upper end of one of the coupling members.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the rotatable mounting means further comprises an annular ridge positioned at the hopper'"'"'s output end, each annular channel being fitted for removable receipt of the annular ridge.

13. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of mixing bottles, each mixing bottle having a mouth, each mouth being threadedly attachable to one of the coupling members'"'"' helically threaded sockets.