US3331337A

US3331337A - Dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3331337A
Application number: US508755A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Mackay
Original assignee: Lincoln Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: Cleveland Range LLC
Priority date: 1965-11-19
Filing date: 1965-11-19
Publication date: 1967-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1984-07-18

Description

July 18, 1967 MacKAY DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 19, 1965 Q wwwwww wwwwwww FIC.3

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ATI'ORN EVS United States Patent Office 3,331,337 Patented July 18, 1967 3,331,337 DISPENSING APPARATUS Robert H. MacKay, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Lincoln Manufacturing Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Nov. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 508,755 6 Claims. (Cl. 108-136) This invention relates to a dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a dispensing apparatus which is useable for supporting and maintaining a stack of articles such as food trays, dishes and the like and for maintain ing the uppermost one of the articles at a substantially constant level.

In the process of dispensing food trays, dishes and other such stacks of articles, it is necessary to constantly raise the stack of articles because, as the dishes or trays are removed and the stack lowers, it becomes inconvenient to reach the articles. It has become the practice in modern cafeteria usage to store the stack of dishes within a well below the level of a serving counter so that the stack is out of sight and the uppermost dish or article extends at a convenient level above the counter within easy grasp of a person moving through the cafeteria line. As the plates are removed, the apparatus raises the stack so that the uppermost dish is always at the same level. This general arrangement is a convenient one and has many advantages including that of improved hygiene, better storage facility, improved location of the articles so that they are less prone to slippage, breakage and contamination and the arrangement makes for a neater more attractive appearance.

The present invention endeavors to maintain all of these advantages mentioned as well as those set forth in other examples of dispensing apparatus disclosed in copending applications: patent application No. 478,337, Improved Container and Transportation Means for Distributing Such Containers, filed Aug. 9, 1965 and patent application No. 480,299, Improved Cart for Transporting Food Trays and the Like, filed Aug. 17, 1965.

It is further intended in the present invention to provide a more cleanable apparatus, and one which is of simpler construction and producibility and hence more economical to manufacture. It is further intended by reducing the number of parts and by making a rigid durable construction, to improve the reliability with which a stack of articles is held and also to. improve the ease of assembly and manufacture of the component parts of the apparatus. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispensing apparatus which is completely enclosed to shut out sources of contamination.

The entire apparatus can be inserted through a mounting opening and is suspended from the edges of the opening so that it can be readily dropped through a counter which is prepared for the apparatus merely by forming an opening therein and to provide a suspended stack of articles which are so supported on a spring loaded platform of the apparatus that the uppermost one of the stack is maintained at a convenient level above the counter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel gripping means whereby the apparatus, once dropped through an opening in the counter, will be held reliably in place and is prevented from accidental movement, forming a snug fit around the edges of the opening which prevent freeplay movement.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent through a consideration of the following description which proceeds with reference to accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the dispensing apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged isometric detail View of the brace and bottom of the guide rod fitted therein; and,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view of the upper end of the guide rod shown connected to the ring at its upper end.

Referring now to the drawings, the dispensing apparatus designated generally by reference numeral 10 includes three spaced apart

guide rods

12, 14 and 16 which have received within its confines, a circular support platform 18 having spaced notches 20 which slidably engage the confronting surfaces of the

guide rods

12, 14 and 16 and which so guide vertical movement of the platform 18 that it can move only in a true vertical direction, sliding upwardly and downwardly in accordance with the weight of the stack of articles received thereon.

A helical spring 24 is received over each guide rod and acts against the platform 18 tending to raise it upwardly, there being a washer 26 interposed between the end of each spring and support platform 18. The loading of the spring is adjusted so that the uppermost one of the stack is properly located, this adjustment being effected by a clip 28 which is received over the rod and is canted so as to compress or relieve the tension of the spring by a preferred amount. When washer 30 adjacent the clip is straightened, the clip 28 can be raised or lowered by whatever amount is necessary -to adjust the spring tension and when the washer 30 is again tilted, because of its engagement with the turned up edge 52 of clip 28, it causes the clip 28 to bind against the guide rod and hold the spring in the adjusted position.

The bottom ends 38 of the respective guide rods are received on a brace designated generally by reference numeral 40, the brace including three spaced sleeves 42 with

sockets

44, 48 and 50. Each socket has a pin 60 with a dimple 62 thereon. Struts 5'4, 56 and 58 are dimensioned to slip over the pins 60 and are held in place by the dimples 62. The brace is thus easily assembled and once assembled rigidly holds the

guide rods

12, 14 and 16 together.

At the other end of the guide rods is a ring 66 with an inner flange 68 which passes through slots in the upper ends 70 of the

guide rods

12, 14, 16 and is secured thereto by mounting screws or the like 72, a plug 74 serving to rigidify this connection between the ring 66 and the post 12 and also excluding accumulation of any material within the post which might be a source of contamination. For example, no dirt, food, liquid, etc. can accumulate within the hollow guide rod. 7

The entire apparatus is suspended by means of a down turned outer periphery 76 of ring 66. The apparatus is supported on a counter or the like and is passed through an opening therein for that purpose. The opening is configured so that the apparatus will pass therethrough and the edge 78 of the down turned outer periphery 76 engages the top of the counter and provides the necessary support 'both for the apparatus 10 and for the load supported on the platform 18.

In order to guide the movement of dishes or other articles onto and off of the platform 18, there are a number of spaced guide members referred to as horns 80 and which have inner guide surfaces 82 which are coextensive with the guide surfaces of

guide rods

12, 14 and 16. Normally, the uppermost dish or other articles is maintained at a level so that it is just below the upper ends of each horn 80 so that it cannot be knocked out of place but is still above the level of the counter to be within convenient grasp.

The horns are secured to the ring 66 by means of screws 86 (FIGURE 3) and in order to prevent loose movement of the apparatus within mounting opening, there is an edge gripper 88 which is held 'by the

same fastener

72, 86 which also mount the ring 66 onto the guide rod and retain the horns 80 on the ring 66. The purpose of the edge grippers is to bear against the inner periphery in the opening of the counter, preventing the apparatus from moving about within the opening. This makes a snug fit of the apparatus within the counter opening but does not prevent removing of the apparatus for cleaning by merely gripping the horns and pulling the apparatus out of the opening.

In operation, the articles are stacked on the platform 18 and under the weight of the stack, platform 18 lowers below the level of the counter and the stack is thus stored below the counter level and out of sight except for the few which are held above the counter level within the confines of the horns 80. As the dishes are removed, the relief of weight from each individual dish, by its removal, causes the spring to bias the platform 18 upwardly and raises both the platform 18 and its supported load by an amount equal to the height of the dish removal. The uppermost dish is always, as a consequence, maintained at the same level and within convenient grasp. In order to adjust for the different kinds of loads, the clips 28 can be raised or lowered to adjust the spring force as required.

To use the present invention, no particular counter size or construction need be provided, all that is necessary is to form an opening in the counter and drop the apparatus through. The size of the opening should be large enough to permit the apparatus to pass therethrough with the edge 78 resting on the top of the counter and the edge grippers 88 snugly bearing against the inner periphery of the opening to hold the apparatus against movement while at the same time permitting easier removal for cleaning purposes.

The apparatus is made of a relatively few number of components which are readily assembled and once assembled provides sturdy, vibrationless, and strong dispensing apparatus which can easily support a column of dishes or other ware through a height equaling the length of the

rods

12, 14 and 16 and will maintain the uppermost dish at the same level, as the dishes are removed.

The material of construction can consist of stainless steel or other corrosion resistant material. The stainless steel has an attractive appearance and is of a Weight, strength and formability which makes it adaptable for the present invention. This particular material of construction is not essential to the present invention and other materials may be used within the scope of the present invention.

The manner in which the load is supported is: first through the platform 18, and then the springs 24 to the lower section of the support frame; then to the brace 40 and then back to the

guide rods

12, 14, 16 secured to the ring 66 and then to the down turned outer periphery 76 to the edge 78 which rests on the counter suspending the apparatus.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in connection with a single example embodiment, it will be understood that this is illustrative of the invention and is by no means restrictive thereof. It is reasonable to be expected that those skilled in this art can make numerous revisions and adaptations of the invention to suit individual design requirements and it is intended that such revisions and adaptations will be included within the scope of the following claims as equivalents of the invention.

I claim:

1. A dispensing apparatus, comprising: a plurality of spaced apart elongated guide members having guide surfaces provided along the length thereof, a support platform disposed within the confines defined by said guide members and having a portion thereof slidably engageable with said guide surfaces to guide the vertical upward and downward movement of said platform, spring means surrounding each of said guide members and acting upon said platform to urge it upwardly together with the load supported thereon, adjusting means for foreshortening or elongating said spring means to adjust the lifting force exerted on said platform, a brace interconnecting the projected ends of said guide members and including a portion for receiving each of the ends of said guide members therein and also having connecting legs which rigidly join said guide members together, a mounting ring connecting the upper ends of said guide members, and providing a weight-supporting flange by which the entire dispensing apparatus is suspended together with its supported load, a guide extension projecting upwardly from said mounting ring to provide guidance for articles as they are placed onto a removed from means onto said mounting ring and holding it in an operative upright position thereon whereby its guide surfaces are disposed in coextensive relation with the guide surfaces of said guide members.

2. A dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for clamping said mounting ring to the upper end of the spaced guide members.

3. A dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including edge gripping means secured to the end of each guide member and proportioned to engage the inner edge of the opening which receives said dispensing apparatus to provide support therefor at its outer periphery.

4. The dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for plugging the open end of said guide members to form a completely enclosed interior of said guide members.

5. A dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said guide members are in the form of elongated hollow rods having slots at the upper ends thereof through whichis passed said mounting ring to join said ends together and form a rigid structure.

6. A dispensing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said edge gripping means are connected between the ends of said guide rod means and said mounting ring to provide an interference fit gripping for said dispensing apparatus.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 836,303 11/1906 Christensen 108l48 1,827,985 10/1931 Hunkele 38-143 2,426,995 9/ 1947 Gibbs 312-71 2,468,115 4/1949 Saul 220--93 2,802,575 8/1957 Harrison 108106 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A DISPENSING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART ELONGATED GUIDE MEMBERS HAVING GUIDE SURFACES PROVIDED ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, A SUPPORT PLATFORM DISPOSED WITHIN THE CONFINES DEFINED BY SAID GUIDE MEMBERS AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF SLIDABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID GUIDE SURFACES TO GUIDE THE VERTICAL UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PLATFORM, SPRING MEANS SURROUNDING EACH OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS AND ACTING UPON SAID PLATFORM TO URGE IT UPWARDLY TOGETHER WITH THE LOAD SUPPORTED THEREON, ADJUSTING MEANS FOR FORESHORTENING OR ELONGATING SAID SPRING MEANS TO ADJUST THE LIFTING FORCE EXERTED ON SAID PLATFORM, A BRACE INTERCONNECTING THE PROJECTED ENDS OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS AND INCLUDING A PORTION FOR RECEIVING EACH OF THE ENDS OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS THEREIN AND ALSO HAVING CONNECTING LEGS WHICH RIGIDLY JOIN SAID GUIDE MEMBERS TOGETHER, A MOUNTING RING CONNECTING THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS, AND PROVIDING A WEIGHT-SUPPORTING FLANGE BY WHICH THE ENTIRE DISPENSING APPARATUS IS SUSPENDED TOGETHER WITH IT SUPPORTED LOAD, A GUIDE EXTENSION PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID MOUNTING RING TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR ARTICLES AS THEY ARE PLACED ONTO A REMOVED FROM MEANS ONTO SAID MOUNTING RING AND HOLDING IT IN AN OPERATIVE UPRIGHT POSITION THEREON WHEREBY ITS GUIDE SURFACES ARE DISPOSED IN COEXTENSIVE RELATION WITH THE GUIDE SURFACES OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS.